Search

Initiating conversations and responding to initiations of others via gestural and verbal means are prerequisites for participating in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) interactions. However, research to date has not addressed the multimodal initiations and responses of young second language learners (SLLs) in natural ECEC settings. This study investigated their initiations and responses during shared picture book reading interactions with ECEC practitioners with a focus on modalities, strategies, as well as the multimodal meanings and types of utterances. Participants were 30 SLLs in German ECEC institutions. Results showed that SLLs responded to the initiations of the practitioners predominantly verbally and initiated interactions mostly multimodally. Furthermore, the children produced more combinations of multi-word utterances and gestures in their initiations than in their responses. These findings complement the body of work demonstrating the varied communicative skills young SLLs use in their interactions as well as by underlining the importance of gestural cues in everyday ECEC interactions.

Aim: In Germany, the CTC-EFF (Effectiveness of the Community Prevention System Communities That Care) study, a replication study of the US Community Youth Development Study (CYDS), was rolled out in 2021. This article aims to examine the validity of a translated and adapted version of an instrument that measures five constructs of community capacity for prevention. Subject and methods: Twenty-two a priori-matched intervention and comparison communities participated in the study. Two to ten community key informants (n = 182) were interviewed for each community. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to assess structural validity. Reliability was assessed at the individual level using McDonald's omega and at the community level using a generalizability coefficient (GC). Inter-rater agreement was measured using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Concurrent construct validity was assessed using bivariate correlations and mean comparisons. Results: CFA showed good model fit (CFI = 0.964) for the hypothesized five constructs model. Reliability analyses showed good internal consistency at the individual level (omega = 0.86–0.87) and insufficient to moderate reliability at the community level (CG = 0.00–0.62). Inter-rater agreement ranged from insufficient to substantial (ICC = 0.02–0.32). Consistent with theory, three constructs correlated positively at the individual and community level (r = 0.24–0.42). There are no associations between these constructs and interviewer ratings about the respondents' cooperativeness, trustworthiness, and understanding. Conclusion: Three of the five constructs were measured with good validity. Two constructs show insufficient reliability. These will be revised until the next CTC-EFF data collection wave. Further validation is indicated. Trial registration: This study was registered with the German Clinical Trial Register, no. DRKS00022819, on August 18, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Konfliktmanagement 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 addresses exemplary differences between preschools with systematic physical activity (PA) programmes and preschools without PA programmes in Germany. Two preschools from each group were visited in the context of a focused ethnographic observation to examine the educational practice, PA and social behaviour of preschool children. The observation showed that children engage in PA in preschool under certain conditions (e.g. a structure providing a wide range of PA offerings that can be selected according to interest). Potentials of PA promotion can also be seen in the areas of rule-teaching and the promotion of self-confidence in children. A structure-providing policy in conjunction with the provision of exercise rooms and the promotion of children's independence seem to have special influence on the social behaviour of children. Promoting children's independence serves to strengthen the children's sense of self-efficacy and may contribute to improving their social skills and reducing the burden on teachers.

In 2022 a new feature for public libraries was introduced to the German Library Statistics (DBS) program – the DBS Blitzlicht/Flashlight. The article describes the concept, objectives and experiences during the first run in 2022, as well as possible uses of the results. Findings relating to various topics from special offers for refugees, to sustainability and restrictions due to COVID-19 are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a major public health problem with differing disease etiologies, leads to complications, comorbidities, polypharmacy, and mortality. Monitoring disease progression and personalized treatment efforts are crucial for long-term patient outcomes. Physicians need to integrate different data levels, e.g., clinical parameters, biomarkers, and drug information, with medical knowledge. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) can tackle these issues and improve patient management. Knowledge about the awareness and implementation of CDSS in Germany within the field of nephrology is scarce. Purpose: Nephrologists' attitude towards any CDSS and potential CDSS features of interest, like adverse event prediction algorithms, is important for a successful implementation. This survey investigates nephrologists' experiences with and expectations towards a useful CDSS for daily medical routine in the outpatient setting. Methods: The 38-item questionnaire survey was conducted either by telephone or as a do-it-yourself online interview amongst nephrologists across all of Germany. Answers were collected and analysed using the Electronic Data Capture System REDCap, as well as Stata SE 15.1, and Excel. The survey consisted of four modules: experiences with CDSS (M1), expectations towards a helpful CDSS (M2), evaluation of adverse event prediction algorithms (M3), and ethical aspects of CDSS (M4). Descriptive statistical analyses of all questions were conducted. Results: The study population comprised 54 physicians, with a response rate of about 80–100% per question. Most participants were aged between 51–60 years (45.1%), 64% were male, and most participants had been working in nephrology out-patient clinics for a median of 10.5 years. Overall, CDSS use was poor (81.2%), often due to lack of knowledge about existing CDSS. Most participants (79%) believed CDSS to be helpful in the management of CKD patients with a high willingness to try out a CDSS. Of all adverse event prediction algorithms, prediction of CKD progression (97.8%) and in-silico simulations of disease progression when changing, e. g., lifestyle or medication (97.7%) were rated most important. The spectrum of answers on ethical aspects of CDSS was diverse. Conclusion: This survey provides insights into experience with and expectations of out-patient nephrologists on CDSS. Despite the current lack of knowledge on CDSS, the willingness to integrate CDSS into daily patient care, and the need for adverse event prediction algorithms was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The training of motor skills is a crucial aspect of medical education today. Serious games and haptic virtual simulations have been used in the training of surgical procedures. Otherwise, however, a combination of serious games and motor skills training is rarely used in medical education. This article presents Skills-O-Mat, an interactive serious game for training rhythmic and period motor skills. In its first application the game supports dental students being trained in alginate mixing in a blended learning course. Designed as reusable component, the game follows an effective learning design and uses constant immediate feedback to support students' learning. The effectiveness of the use of the game in learning was compared to learning in a traditional workshop using a randomized controlled trial (N = 30 test group, N = 25 control group). Participants of the evaluation were dental students aged 20 to 23 years in the 2nd year of study (40% male, 60% female; 46.7% with no experience, 50% had little experience in mixing alginate). An analysis of the results of the evaluation gives indications of the positive learning effect of the game. The game was rated a valuable instrument for teaching and developing practical skills.

Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR), though a rare event, is associated with severe detrimental sequelae for the patient. To date, the etiology remains unknown, and treatment strategies are highly controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present an analysis of the consensus- and evidence-based approach to ICR by a German interdisciplinary guideline project of the AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany). Following a systematic literature search, including 56 (out of an initial 97) publications, with a predominantly low level of evidence (LoE), two independent working groups (oral and maxillofacial surgery and interdisciplinary, respectively) voted on a draft comprising 25 recommendations in a standardized anonymized and blinded Delphi procedure. While the results of the votes were relatively homogeneous, the interdisciplinary phase required a significantly higher number of rounds (p < 0.001). Most of the controversial recommendations were related to initial imaging (with consensus on CT/CBCT as the current diagnostic standard for imaging), pharmacotherapy (no recommendation due to lack of evidence), discopexy (no recommendation possible due to low LoE) and timing of orthognathic surgery (with consensus on two-staged procedures after invasive TMJ surgery, except for single-stage procedures if combined with total joint reconstruction). Overall, the Delphi procedure resulted in an interdisciplinary guideline offering the best possible evidence- and consensus-based expertise to date in the diagnosis and treatment of ICR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within alphabetic languages, spelling-to-sound consistency can differ dramatically. For example, English and German are very similar in their phonological and orthographic structure but not in their consistency. In English the letter "a" is pronounced differently in the words "bank," "ball," and "park," whereas in German the letter "a" always has the same pronunciation (e.g., "Ball," "Park," "Bank"). It is often argued that reading acquisition has a reciprocal effect on phonological awareness. As reading is acquired, therefore, spoken language representation may be affected differently for English and German children. Prior to literacy acquisition, however, phonological representation in English and German children should be similar due to the similar phonological structure of the two languages. We explored this hypothesis by comparing phonological awareness at the rime and phoneme levels in prereaders and beginning readers in English and German. Similar developmental effects were indeed observed in prereaders, but differential effects had emerged within the first year of reading instruction.

Background/Objective. Growth and obesity have been associated with increased risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) and progression to type 1 diabetes. We aimed to estimate the effect of energy-yielding macronutrient intake on the development of IA through BMI. Research Design and Methods. Genetically at-risk children (n = 5,084) in Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the USA, who were autoantibody negative at 2 years of age, were followed to the age of 8 years, with anthropometric measurements and 3-day food records collected biannually. Of these, 495 (9.7%) children developed IA. Mediation analysis for time-varying covariates (BMI z-score) and exposure (energy intake) was conducted. Cox proportional hazard method was used in sensitivity analysis. Results. We found an indirect effect of total energy intake (estimates: indirect effect 0.13 [0.05, 0.21]) and energy from protein (estimates: indirect effect 0.06 [0.02, 0.11]), fat (estimates: indirect effect 0.03 [0.01, 0.05]), and carbohydrates (estimates: indirect effect 0.02 [0.00, 0.04]) (kcal/day) on the development of IA. A direct effect was found for protein, expressed both as kcal/day (estimates: direct effect 1.09 [0.35, 1.56]) and energy percentage (estimates: direct effect 72.8 [3.0, 98.0]) and the development of GAD autoantibodies (GADA). In the sensitivity analysis, energy from protein (kcal/day) was associated with increased risk for GADA, hazard ratio 1.24 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.53), p = 0.042. Conclusions. This study confirms that higher total energy intake is associated with higher BMI, which leads to higher risk of the development of IA. A diet with larger proportion of energy from protein has a direct effect on the development of GADA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conservation agriculture, conservation tillage potentially influences the physical, chemical, and biological quality of the soil. Although the effects of conservation agriculture on the soil's physical properties have been studied in conventional management systems, studies on organic farming systems, especially concerning long-term changes, are scarce. This study summarizes the results of physical and mechanical soil parameters obtained over the initial 10 years of different conservation management treatments (plowing versus reduced tillage with and without compost application) in an organic field trial conducted in central Germany. Moreover, as a research objective, the effects of soil conservation measures on soil's physical quality were evaluated. Differences in the soil's physical quality during treatments were mainly detected in the topsoil. At a depth of 0.10–0.24 m, the total porosity and air capacity were lower, and the bulk density was higher in the reduced-tillage systems, compared to those of the plowed treatments. Additionally, the soil's mechanical stability (precompression stress) was higher at a depth of 0.10 m for reduced-tillage systems combined with compost application. In addition, the soil's aggregate stability was enhanced in the reduced-tillage systems (higher mean weight diameter, as determined via wet sieving). Overall, the reduced-tillage treatments did not exceed the critical physical values of the soil, nor affect the functionality of the soil (saturated hydraulic conductivity), thereby demonstrating its feasibility as a sustainable technique for organic farming. Future studies should include measures to ameliorate compaction zones in reduced-tillage treatments, e.g., by applying subsoiling techniques in combination with deep-rooting crops to prevent limited rooting space resulting from the high mechanical impedance, especially under dry soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Der Aufsatz skizziert grob die Entwicklung der Spartentrennung zwischen Öffentlichen und wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken im 20. und 21. Jahrhundert Er beschreibt die strukturelle Konvergenz der Sparten ab Mitte der 1960er Jahre. Auf der Basis einer Diskursstrukturanalyse lässt sich feststellen, dass sich seit Mitte der 2000er Jahre der Abstand zwischen den Sparten wieder vergrößert. Es wird vorgeschlagen, die Unterschiede zwischen den Sparten unter dem Paradigma der Diversität umzuwerten und dann auf der Basis der Diskursanalyse nach Themen gesucht, die die Sparten im Dialog verbinden können. The paper illustrates how the relationship between the sectors of public and academic libraries in Germany developed in the 20th and 21st centuries. Following an initial period of strict separation in almost all respects and institutional structures, the two library sectors had started to gradually converge in the mid-1960s. On the institutional level, this process seemed to have come to an end by the year 2000, but quantitative discourse analyses show that the communication gap between the two library segments has been widening yet again since the mid-2000s. We propose a change in paradigm to capture the fact that the differences are indicators for an ever-expanding and more differentiated field. Discourse analysis will be used to identify topics and subjects that could serve as either 'boundary objects' or 'translatable objects' in the dialogue between the different library sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-glazed potsherds from archaeological excavations at six Renaissance (1536–1660 CE) sites in southern Denmark and northern Germany have been subjected to etching experiments using 4 wt% acetic acid. The extracts of 45 sherds were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. At one site, the ducal hunting castle of Grøngaard, Pb levels in acid extracts from glazed dishes were so high (up to 29,000 µg Pb cm−2 day−1) that acute toxic effects likely occurred if the dishes were used for serving food containing vinegar. More moderate acid-etching Pb levels were found in dishes from other sites, but they still exceed the WHO critical level if used daily. Acetic acid etching experiments performed on pipkins (three-legged cooking pots with a handle) yielded somewhat lower Pb extract values, averaging ca. 25 µg Pb cm−2 day−1. Taking into account the widespread use of pipkins for cooking, they might easily have led to a higher weekly Pb intake than the use of the moderate-level dishes. The question remains whether such high levels of Pb exposure during meals led to injurious Pb intake. Prior skeletal analyses have shown that medieval to early modern individuals from the area, especially in towns, were exposed to Pb. While exposure could have come from various sources other than lead-glazed ceramics, such as cosmetics, paint, antibacterial ointments, and lead water pipes, widely distributed lead-glazed ceramics had the potential of being a main source of Pb. How the pottery was actually used is uncertain, and it certainly was not evenly distributed across all segments of society, but the etching experiment results suggest that severe poisonous effects could have resulted from the use of lead-glazed Renaissance ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article on the topic selection of student theses from 2010 to 2019 presents the analysis of more than 2,000 title data from six universities with library and information science programmes in Germany and Switzerland. The main focus is on the representation of public libraries, academic libraries and other institutions in these theses and which topics are chosen by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated strategies of community health promotion (ISCHP) are based on intersectoral collaborations using the Health in All Policies approach to address determinants of health. While effects on health determinants have been shown, evidence on the effectiveness of ISCHP on health outcomes is scarce. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term effects of ISCHP on diabetes mellitus mortality (DMM) in German communities. A nonrandomized evaluation based on secondary county-level official data (1998–2016) was performed. In April 2019, 149 communities in Germany with ISCHP out of 401 were identified. Communities with < 5 measurements of DMM, starting before 1999 or after 2015, were excluded. Analyses included 65 communities with ISCHP (IG) and 124 without ISCHP (CG). ISCHP ran for a mean of 5.6 years. Fixed effects (FE) models were used to estimate effects of ISCHP and duration on DMM taking into account the time-varying average age. The FE estimator for DMM is b = − 2.48 (95% CI − 3.45 to − 1.51) for IG vs. CG and b = − 0.30 (95% CI − 0.46 to − 0.14) for ISCHP duration (0–16 years). In the first year of an ISCHP, a reduction of the annual DMM of 0.3 per 100,000 population (1%), and in the 16th year of 4.8 (14%) was achieved. This study provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of ISCHP in Germany. Limitations include inaccuracies to classify IG and CG and possible selection bias. Longitudinal county-level data may be an efficient data source to evaluate complex interventions, thereby contributing to further strengthen evidence-based integrated health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to reach a better insight of the disposition of people living alone with dementia toward the use of care and support services. In biographical narrative interviews, women and men with dementia communicated to us their opinions, needs, and subjectively perceived level of resources regarding their everyday life and care. Both individual and gender-specific differences concerning the use of formal support become evident in their narrations. We offer indications for a future healthcare practice that is specific to dementia. To fully exploit the potential of participatory research, study designs specific to dementia should be developed further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rate‐adaptive single chamber pacemakers with accelerometer, closed loop stimulation (CLS), and remote monitoring functionality (Eluna 8 SR‐T, Biotronik, SE & Co, Germany) were implanted in 3 miniature donkeys with third‐degree atrioventricular block and syncope. After recovery, different pacemaker programming modes were tested at rest, during stress without physical exercise and during physical exercise. Pacing rates were compared to actual atrial rates and showed that CLS functionality allowed physiological heart rate adaptation. A transmitter installed in the stable provided wireless connection of the pacemaker to the internet. Home monitoring was activated which performed daily wireless transmission of pacemaker functional measurements to an online server allowing diagnosis of pathological arrhythmias and pacemaker malfunction from a distance. Closed loop stimulation and remote monitoring functionality resulted in nearly physiological rate adaptation and allowed remote "from‐the‐stable" patient follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Communities That Care (CTC) prevention planning and implementation system trains communities throughout a five-phase cycle to (1) build capacity for prevention, (2) adopt science-based prevention, (3) assess the prevention needs of adolescents living in the community, (4) select, and (5) implement evidence-based programs according to their needs. After CTC proved to be effective and cost-effective in the U.S., it is being used by an increasing number of communities in Germany. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of CTC in Germany.Methods: Communities in CTC-phases 1 to 3 (n = 21) and individually-matched comparison communities (n = 21) were recruited for a non-randomised trial. To assess long-term outcomes, (1) a cohort of 5th Grade students will be surveyed biennially concerning behaviours (antisocial behaviour and substance use) and well-being as well as risk and protective factors. Additionally, (2) biennial cross-sectional surveys will be conducted in 6th, 8th, 10th, and 11th Grade in each community. To assess short-term outcomes, a cohort of ten key informants per community will be surveyed biennially concerning adoption of science-based prevention, collaboration, community support and community norms. (4) In a cross-sectional design, all ongoing prevention programs and activities in the communities will be assessed biennially and data will be collected about costs, implementation and other characteristics of the programs and activities. (5) To monitor the CTC implementation, the members of the local CTC-boards will be surveyed annually (cross-sectional design) about team functioning and coalition capacity. Data analysis will include general and generalised mixed models to assess the average treatment effect of CTC. Mediation analyses will be performed to test the logical model, e.g., adoption of science-based prevention as a mediator for the effectiveness of the CTC approach.Discussion: This is the first controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive community prevention approach in Germany. Evaluating the effectiveness of CTC in Germany is an important prerequisite for further diffusion of the CTC approach.Trial Registration: This study was registered with German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00022819 on Aug 18, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ICT in Muzical Field / Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical is the property of Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical / ICT in Musical Field 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 Discourse: Journal of Childhood & Adolescense Research / Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH 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 provides a snapshot analysis of civil society development in Germany. Based on an online survey and in-depth-interviews with civil society experts, conducted in 2016, it studies the challenges and opportunities experienced by German civil society organizations (CSOs). The article highlights the perceptions of the context conditions of civil society development and analyses the organisational responses which CSOs have adopted in response to a changes in their societal and political environment. The study argues that German CSOs have mainly experienced difficulties with fundraising and project organization, including problems with adhering to increasingly bureaucratic funding regulations. Among societal and political challenges, CSO representatives mentioned societal cleavages and stressed the role of CSOs in fostering integration and building bridges among diverse groups of society. Three organizational case studies illustrate how CSOs have managed to deal with changes in their environment. Although German CSOs have been experiencing challenges, they described the context conditions as relatively stable and favourable. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to the discussion on the "shrinking spaces for civil society", as it shows that CSOs are adaptable and can develop despite external challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood overweight is a serious public health challenge. There is a complex landscape of interventions with multiple subjects, target groups, and approaches for different settings in Germany. Aims: There is a need to get an overview and to analyze the conceptual approaches of interventions on overweight and obesity prevention in childhood and adolescence. Subjects and methods: To provide a systematic overview, SCAP developed as a first step a catalog of descriptive indicators to analyze the conceptual approaches of interventions. The indicators can be assigned to five global dimensions: (1) setting, (2) conceptual approach, (3) target group, (4) quality requirements for the conception of universal prevention (in generic and setting-specific), and (5) determinants. These dimensions were used in the second project step to analyze overweight prevention programs in four settings and to systemize the applied conceptual approaches. The third step entailed identifying gaps, improvement potential, and recommendations for action. Results: This project contributes to the improvement of childhood overweight and obesity prevention measures by focusing on setting-specific approaches. It provides a systematic overview of the approaches, which allows an in-depth overview at both a generic and setting-specific level. Recommendations focused on gaps in evidence concerning implementation and a need of transparency. There are further requirements for coordination, checklists, and an intervention database. Conclusion: The results of the SCAP project can be used in the quality-oriented development of intervention measures, which could make it valuable for the implementation of the new German Preventive Health Care Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As companies in the manufacturing and construction industries strive to meet the EU circular economy (CE) targets, they need to develop new capabilities to implement CE activities that can positively influence their product/service innovations. However, companies in both industries, and beyond, still struggle to develop internal capabilities to innovate products and services that would help them in implementing CE principles and move towards the CE. The objective of this research is to analyze the types of innovation capabilities that are needed to enable CE implementation and achieve product/service innovations in two different industrial sectors. Prior research has focused on innovating and implementing circular business models and elaborated less on the innovation capability types. We collected survey data in December 2021–January 2022 that consists of responses from companies operating in Germany (n = 177), including employees in manufacturing (n = 87) and construction companies (n = 90). The results from the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) based on measurement models from the literature indicate that employees in both sectors overall perceive higher levels of CE implementation capability as important for the company's product/service innovations. Furthermore, the results reveal differences in the way CE innovation capability and IT resource orchestration capability influence CE implementation and product/service innovations in the two sectors. Our study offers theoretical implications on how dynamic capabilities are associated with CE innovations and how they influence companies' product/service innovations based on empirical evidence from two industrial sectors. Those capabilities that are crucial for circular product/service innovations need to be associated with CE implementation capabilities. The results further advise practitioners in the development of CE innovation and CE implementation capabilities and how they are linked to IT resource orchestration capability and provide evidence on their relevance to creating product/service innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) based screening for early detection of prostate cancer is common although it is associated with both benefits and potential harms (e.g., the risk of overdiagnosis). Evidence-based health information could help individuals make informed decisions about whether to undergo PSA testing or not. This evaluation aimed to determine whether the written health information materials available in Germany provide appropriate information for informed decision-making on PSA based screening. Methods: A list of criteria was developed and used to systematically assess the quality of information on the benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening included in written health information materials. Fourteen information materials identified by information requests and online searches were evaluated independently by two of three reviewers. Consensus was achieved with a third reviewer. Results: Of the 14 information materials evaluated, 10 (71%) list the ability to reduce the absolute risk of death from prostate cancer as a benefit of PSA testing, 9 (64%) point out the risks of follow-up diagnostics, 13 (93%) describe the risks of the available prostate cancer treatments, and all 14 specify the risk of overdiagnosis. The minority provide numerical data on benefits and risks. Partially mismatched framing was identified in four cases: two information materials report only the relative frequencies of benefits, and two report only the absolute frequencies of harms. Half of the materials encouraged participation using downplaying or frightening language. Conclusions: The majority of health information materials in Germany describe the benefits and harms of PSA based screening, including overdiagnosis, but often lack adequate balance, neutrality and numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary care is a central element of healthcare and addresses the main health problems of the population. While primary care gains in importance due to an aging population, there is an ongoing debate on physician shortages in German rural regions. The study aims on analyzing the population's preferences on primary healthcare and, therefore, on helping policy makers to make care delivery more responsive to patients' needs when planning political reforms of primary care. Methods: A paper-based discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to assess preferences of the population of eight rural regions in Germany. Based on literature search and qualitative research, six attributes were selected and included in the choice experiment. The survey presented participants with eight choice sets in which they had to choose between two possible scenarios of care. A conditional logistic regression as well as a latent class model (LCM) were used to analyze preferences for primary healthcare. Results: Nine hundred four participants completed the survey (response rate 46.1%). The conditional logistic regression showed significant impact of the attributes "home visits", "distance to practice", "number of healthcare providers", "opening hours of the practice", and "diagnostic facilities" on the respondents' choices of primary healthcare alternatives. Moreover, the LCM identified four classes that can be characterized by preference homogeneity within and heterogeneity between the classes. Conclusion: Although the study revealed heterogeneous preferences among the latent classes, several similarities in preferences for primary care could be detected. The knowledge on these public preferences may help policy makers when implementing new models of primary care and, thus, raise the populations' acceptance of future primary care provision and innovative care models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated the association between maternal use of vitamin D and omega‐3 fatty acids (n‐3 FAs) supplements during pregnancy and risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) in the offspring. Methods: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) Study is prospectively following 8676 children with increased genetic risk for type 1 diabetes in Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. Blood samples were collected every 3 months between 3 and 48 months of age then every 6 months thereafter to determine persistent IA. Duration, frequency, and supplement dose during pregnancy were recalled by mothers at 3 to 4 months postpartum. Cumulative intakes of supplemental vitamin D and n‐3 FAs were analyzed as continuous or binary variables. We applied time‐to‐event analysis to study the association between maternal supplement use and IA, adjusting for country, human leukocyte antigen‐DR‐DQ genotype, family history of type 1 diabetes and sex. Secondary outcomes included insulin autoantibodies (IAA) or glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) as the first appearing autoantibody. Results: As of February 2018, there were 747 (9.0%) children with IA. Vitamin D supplement intake during pregnancy (any vs none) was not associated with risk for IA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94, 1.31); neither was cumulative vitamin D supplement intake. Supplemental n‐3 FA intake was similarly not associated with IA risk (HR: 1.19, 95% CI 0.98, 1.45). Similar lack of association was observed for either IAA or GADA as the first appearing autoantibody. Conclusions: The TEDDY cohort showed no evidence of benefit regarding IA risk for vitamin D or n‐3 FA supplementation during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For people with type 1 diabetes, extensive tasks involved in diabetes self-management have a significant impact on overall care and quality of life. Members of the working population with type 1 diabetes spend one third of their time at work, yet little attention has been paid to challenges specific to balancing diabetes management and work life. Diabetes is associated with increased absenteeism and presenteeism, as well as disability retirement and lower lifetime income. These quantitative outcomes are corroborated by qualitative studies highlighting some of the challenges of reconciling diabetes self-management with work life. This qualitative study expands on previous research by examining illness behavior in work life using Alonzo's concept of containment. Forty in-depth interviews with Danish people with type 1 diabetes were conducted from May to December 2016 and analyzed using abductive reasoning. We found that working people with type 1 diabetes live in tension between competing logics linked to diabetes and to work life. We illustrate how diabetes management can be articulated as a matter of containment, which refers to the assemblage of practices and mental and emotional work required to keep diabetes at the level of a side-involvement and maintain proper situational involvement in work life. The containment framework illuminates and characterizes diabetes management in the context of work life and reveals a hidden burden of disease carried by working people with type 1 diabetes. Further research is needed to advance the theory of containment. Highlights • A hidden burden of disease exists among people with type 1 diabetes at work. • Containment of disease at work requires practices and mental and emotional work. • Tension exists between the logic of work and the logic of the patient. • Temporality is an omnipresent point of reference for containment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim was to describe milk feeding patterns and first weaning foods during the first year of life in a large prospective birth cohort of infants with increased genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes (T1D) recruited in 4 different countries: the United States, Finland, Germany, and Sweden. All enrolled children with dietary information (n = 8,673) were included in the analyses; 1,307 (15%) children who dropped out before the first birthday were excluded from some analyses. Supplementary milk feeding in the first 3 days of life was common in all the four countries, although the type of the supplementary milk differed by country and by maternal T1D. Donated human milk was commonly used only in Finland. In all the countries, the most common first supplementary food was cow's milk‐based infant formula, especially among offspring of mothers with T1D. The use of specific types of infant formulas differed notably by country: Extensively hydrolysed formulas were most used in Finland, partially hydrolysed ones in the United States and in Germany, and soy formulas only in the United States. Infant formulas commonly included probiotics, prebiotics, and starches. During the first year of life, most of the infants received conventional cow's milk. Overall, milk feeding during the first 3 days of life and thereafter until the first birthday differed markedly by maternal T1D status and across countries. These descriptive data may be useful in understanding early infant feeding practices and in planning potential interventions, which affect infant feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overweight and obesity constitute a global epidemic with rates that are increasing rapidly in children. The aim of the present study was to examine ethnic differences in the prevalence of overweight in pre-school children in a multicultural context. Data were collected from a compulsory school entry examination in the Hannover Region, Germany (n = 50,716) from 2010 to 2014. The prevalence of overweight (including pre-obesity and obesity status) and obesity was estimated using a German national reference. The migration status of the children was based on the parent's migration history. Multivariable logistic and hierarchical multinomial regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the overweight, pre-obesity, and obesity status. The prevalence of overweight was significantly higher among migrant children (12.7%) than among the non-migrant children (6.9%). After adjusting for socioeconomic and child development variables, migration background was strongly associated with weight status. The Turkish migrant children showed the highest odds of being pre-obesity (OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.7-2.56) and obesity (OR 2.09, 95%CI 1.67-2.77) compared to non-migrant children.Conclusion: Ethnic and social inequalities exist in childhood overweight among pre-school children in the Hannover Region. Thus, appropriate interventions targeting high-risk migrant groups are needed. What is Known: • The current trend of prevalence rates in Germany for overweight and obesity of pre-school children is becoming stable. • Prevalence of overweight and obesity is clearly higher among migrant children than among non-migrant children. What is New: • This article reveals ethnic variance among different migrant groups. • Turkish migrant children have a higher rate of prevalence even compared to other migrant groups. • Length of child day care attendance fails to exert a strong influence on overweight after adjusting for socio-economic and child development variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The estimated incidence of temporomandibular joint dislocation in Germany is at least 25/100 000 per year. A correct diagnosis and the initiation of appropriate treatment without delay are essential if permanent damage to the joint is to be avoided. Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a systematic search in the PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and ZB Med databases. Results: The initial search yielded 24 650 hits; duplicates were removed and 136 studies were chosen for further analysis. The diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dislocation is generally made clinically from the finding of a lower jaw that is fixed in the open position. Acute dislocations are manually repositioned at once. The most common method is Hippocratic repositioning, in which the physician's thumb is placed laterally next to the teeth and the other fingers are placed on the lower surface of the lower jaw. The physician then exerts pressure, first caudally, then dorsally. Repositioning is carried out in two steps. For dislocations that have been present for a longer time, manual repositioning may be ineffective and surgery may be needed. Recurrent dislocation can be treated in a minimally invasive way with botulinum toxin injections or autologous blood therapy. Surgery may be needed if these methods are ineffective. Conclusion: There have been no more than a few randomized, controlled trials of treatments for temporomandibular joint dislocation, in particular concerning minimally invasive and open surgical treatments, and therefore only limited evidence-based conclusions can be drawn. Nonetheless, the diagnostic and therapeutic standards that have been established in recent years have gained wide international acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on mediation case in Germany. Topics discussed include availability of legal aid for court-ordered family mediation or the adjournment of the expiry period for the particulars of an appeal; importance of the principle of voluntariness of mediation stated by the German Mediation Act; and parties can create an obligation to mediate by signing mediation clauses as private agreements.

Background: Osteoporosis-associated fractures are of increasing importance in trauma surgery. Systematic diagnostics and treatment of osteoporosis during a hospital stay, however, remain inadequate. Therefore, a specific algorithm for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis in trauma surgery patients was developed based on the DVO (German Osteology Society) guideline for osteoporosis from 2014. Methods: In a first step, the individuals' age and risk profile for osteoporosis is identified considering specific fractures indicating osteoporosis and risk factors assessed by a specific questionnaire. In addition, physical activity, risk of falls, dietary habits and the individuals' medication are considered. Basic osteoporosis laboratory tests, a bone densitometry by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and, if needed, X-rays of the spine are carried out to identify prevalent vertebral body fractures. Results: Based on the treatment algorithm adapted to the new guidelines for osteoporosis in the majority of proximal femoral fractures, treatment of osteoporosis could already be indicated without prior DXA. In case of preexisting glucocorticoid therapy, a history of previous fractures or other risk factors according to the risk questionnaire, the threshold of treatment has to be adjusted given the table of T-scores. Conclusions: The treatment algorithm for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis in in-patient trauma surgery patients can help identify high-risk patients systematically and efficiently. As a result, osteoporosis-associated fractures or failure of osteosynthesis could be reduced, yet a prospective validation of the algorithm has to be completed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Non-compliance with food record submission can induce bias in nutritional epidemiological analysis and make it difficult to draw inference from study findings. We examined the impact of demographic, lifestyle and psychosocial factors on such non-compliance during the first 3 years of participation in a multidisciplinary prospective paediatric study.Design: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study collects a 3 d food record quarterly during the first year of life and semi-annually thereafter. High compliance with food record completion was defined as the participating families submitting one or more days of food record at every scheduled clinic visit.Setting: Three centres in the USA (Colorado, Georgia/Florida and Washington) and three in Europe (Finland, Germany and Sweden).Subjects: Families who finished the first 3 years of TEDDY participation (n 8096).Results: High compliance was associated with having a single child, older maternal age, higher maternal education and father responding to study questionnaires. Families showing poor compliance were more likely to be living far from the study centres, from ethnic minority groups, living in a crowded household and not attending clinic visits regularly. Postpartum depression, maternal smoking behaviour and mother working outside the home were also independently associated with poor compliance.Conclusions: These findings identified specific groups for targeted strategies to encourage completion of food records, thereby reducing potential bias in multidisciplinary collaborative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To investigate total leisure noise exposure among adolescents and to assess its association with hearing.Design:Based on self-reported time spent on 19 leisure activities and associated mean sound pressure levels reported in the literature, total leisure noise exposure was evaluated and compared to noise at work limits (> 85 dB(A) = hazardous) in a cross-sectional survey. Tympanometry and pure-tone audiometry was performed in sound isolated rooms.Study sample:The study sample consists of 2143 pupils attending grade nine in any school in a German city 2009–2011 (mean age: 15.4 years; range: 13–19 years). Audiometric data were available for 1837 (85.8%) pupils (53.9% girls).Results:41.9% of the 2143 adolescents who had provided self-reported data on leisure activities associated with noise exposure were estimated to be hazardously exposed to leisure time noise. The interaction of gender with total leisure time noise exposure was not significant. No association between leisure time noise exposure and audiometric notches could be detected.Conclusion:While hearing loss seems seldom in this age group, a high proportion of adolescents aged 15–16 years are exposed to noise levels during leisure time bearing long-term risks of hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an experimental analysis of the antenna system effects on polarimetric measurements conducted with cloud radars operating in the linear depolarization ratio (LDR) mode. Amplitude and phase of the copolar and cross-polar antenna patterns are presented and utilized. The patterns of two antennas of different quality were measured at the Hungriger Wolf airport near Hohenlockstedt, Germany, during the period from 28 January to 1 February 2014. For the measurements a test transmitter mounted on a tower and the scanning 35-GHz (Ka band) cloud radar MIRA-35, manufactured by METEK GmbH and operated in the receiving mode, were used. The integrated cross-polarization ratios (ICPR) are calculated for both antennas and compared with those measured in light rain. Correction algorithms for observed LDR and the co-cross-channel correlation coefficient ρ are presented. These algorithms are aimed at removing/mitigating polarization cross-coupling effects that depend on the quality of radar hardware. Thus, corrected LDR and ρ are primarily influenced by scatterer properties. The corrections are based on the decomposition of the coherency matrix of the received signals into fully polarized and nonpolarized components. The correction brings LDR values and the co-cross-channel correlation coefficients from two radars with different antenna systems to a close agreement, thus effectively removing hardware-dependent biases. Uncertainties of the correction are estimated as 3 dB for LDR in the range from −30 to −10 dB. In clouds, the correction of the co-cross-channel correlation coefficient ρ results in near-zero values for both vertically pointed radars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deficient soluble fiber intake has been suggested to dysregulate the immune response either directly or through alterations of the microbial composition in the gut. Objective: We hypothesized that a high intake of dietary soluble fiber in early childhood decreases the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D)-associated islet autoimmunity. Design: We analyzed 17,620 food records collected between age 9 and 48 mo from 3358 children from the United States and Germany prospectively followed in the TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study. HRs for the development of any/multiple islet autoantibodies (242 and 151 events, respectively) and T1D (71 events) by soluble fiber intake were calculated in Cox regression models and adjusted for potential confounders. Results: There were no statistically significantly protective associations observed between a high intake of soluble fiber and islet autoimmunity or T1D. For example, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for high intake (highest compared with lowest quintile) at age 12 mo were 0.90 (0.55, 1.45) for any islet autoantibody, 1.20 (0.69, 2.11) for multiple islet autoantibodies, and 1.24 (0.57, 2.70) for T1D. In analyzing soluble fiber intake as a time-varying covariate, there were also no short-term associations between soluble fiber intake and islet autoimmunity development, with adjusted HRs of 0.85 (0.51, 1.42) for high intake and development of any islet autoantibody, for example. Conclusion: These results indicate that the intake level of dietary soluble fiber is not associated with islet autoimmunity or T1D in early life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with a psychiatric illness have a higher prevalence of physical diseases and thus a higher morbidity and mortality. Aim: The main aim was to investigate where patients with co-occurring physical diseases and mental disorders (psychotic spectrum or mood) in the health and social service system are identified most frequently before admission into psychiatry. The second aim was to compare the differences in the treatment routes taken by the patients before entry into psychiatric services in all the participating countries (Denmark, Germany, Japan, Nigeria and Switzerland). Methodology: On admission to a psychiatric service, patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizotypal or delusional disorders (International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) group F2) or mood (affective) disorders (ICD-10 group F3) and a co-morbid physical condition (cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and overweight) were asked with which institutions or persons they had been in contact with in the previous 6 months. Results: Patients from Denmark, Germany and Switzerland with mental disorders had almost the same contact pattern. Their primary contact was to public or private psychiatry, with a contact percentage of 46%–91%; in addition, general practice was a common contact, with a margin of 41%–93%. Similar tendencies are seen in Japan despite the small sample size. With regard to general practice, this is also the case with Nigerian patients. However, religious guidance or healing was rarely sought by patients in Europe and Japan, while in Nigeria about 80% of patients with mental disorders had contacted this type of service. Conclusion: Promoting prophylactic work between psychiatry and the general practice sector may be beneficial in diminishing physical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and overweight in patients with mental disorders in European countries and Japan. In Nigeria (a low-to-middle-income country), religious guides or healers, along with general practitioners, are the most frequently contacted, and they therefore seem to be the most obvious partner to collaborate with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the development of libraries in the geographical area of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) after it joined the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in 1990. It briefly describes the situation of libraries in the GDR and the major changes that accompanied the unification process. It also touches on a series of three nationwide studies on reading and library-user behavior, and on library legislation and major national-planning initiatives since 1989. For academic libraries, the unification process was mainly favorable, as a structured plan and continuous funding were introduced as part of higher education development. For public libraries, the process was less structured, severely reducing a previously very dense system within a very short time. Recent library statistics indicate, however, that the integration of the two library systems has benefited the remaining libraries and left no clearly visible difference between library systems in the eastern and western parts of Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is concern about increasing hearing loss in adolescents caused by leisure noise exposure, prevalence data are scarce. In an US study, about 16-17% of adolescents were affected by audiometric notches. To estimate the prevalence of audiometric notches in adolescents in Germany, baseline data of the cohort study Ohrkan, recruitment during the school years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 were analyzed. All students in grade 9 visiting any school in the city of Regensburg were eligible for participation. Data was collected via standardized questionnaires from students and their parents. In addition, students were asked to visit the University Clinics of Regensburg for ear examination including a tympanogram and the determination of hearing thresholds in air conduction audiometry. The prevalence of audiometric notches was determined in students with normal tympanogram in both ears and complete audiometry data. Audiometric notches were deined according to criteria used to analyse US data. Overall, 2149 students (1158 girls, 991 boys mainly aged 15-16 years) of the 3846 eligible adolescents (56%) participated. Among the 1843 adolescents with complete audiometry and tympanometry data, the prevalence of audiometric notches was 2.4% (95% conidence interval 1.7-3.1%). We could not conirm the high prevalence of audiometric notches as reported in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys for adolescents in the US. Differences in prevalence might be at least partly due to methodical differences in audiometry. Even if empirical evidence is presently ambiguous, it is reasonable to educate young people about the potential risks of high leisure noise exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to characterize preventive activity (PrA) of German dentists by determining the rates of preventive service delivery in dental practices and exploring associations between PrA and dentist and dental practice characteristics. Subjects and methods: A postal survey was sent to 2,075 dentists practicing in the States of Bremen and Lower Saxony. A PrA index was constructed, covering information on addressing prophylaxis to patients, providing anti-smoking interventions and advice on proper oral hygiene techniques. Results: Of the 685 questionnaires returned (response rate: 33 %), 640 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Approximately 10 % of responding dentists had low PrA, two-thirds moderate PrA, and 22 % high PrA. Dentists, especially those in the high and low PrA groups, differed slightly regarding topical fluoride application (99 % vs. 85 %), but considerably in providing behavioural counselling, e.g. anti-smoking (17 % vs. 0 %) and dietary interventions (88 % vs. 35 %). There were statistically significant associations between PrA and gender ( p = .017), participation in continuing education and training (CET) ( p < .001), employment of qualified prophylaxis personnel ( p < .001), presence of a prophylaxis unit ( p < .001), and percentage of private patients ( p = .001). Conclusion: Dentists in the current study are actively providing preventive care. Deficiencies were found in assessing dental risks and providing behavioural counselling. Reasons for this suboptimal care should be explored in future studies. Apparently, the allocation of resources for prevention (e.g. employment of qualified prophylaxis personnel and participation in prevention-oriented CET programmes) is an important factor for the preventive orientation of dental practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The production of bioenergy is considered to be a promising energy source for a sustainable energy mix and it is politically promoted in many countries. With the exception of Brazilian ethanol, bioenergy is not competitive with fossil energy sources, and therefore needs to be subsidised. Several types of bioenergy are based on bulky raw biomass with high per unit transport costs, importantly impacting on the plant's production costs and profitability. In addition, considerable quantities of digestates are released, causing disposal costs. Various studies in the past aimed primarily at analysing transport costs of inputs. In this paper we focus on disposal costs of fermentation digestates from biogas production in Germany and analyse different processing techniques and their impact on profitability for three plant size in three case study areas. Our results show that especially in regions with only a small amount of agricultural land and a large heterogeneity in its agricultural area, processing of digestates increases the profitability of biogas production. The same accounts for regions with high livestock density, where the area needed for disposal is comparatively large. The cost efficiency is enforced by a high share of animal excrements on input and the biogas plant size. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article reports a study to examine the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes (DM) and obesity in schizophrenia and depression in various geographical areas to analyze the transcultural differences among them. The results revealed that incidence of obesity, CVD and DM were higher in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and affective disorders. It is concluded that cultural background is an important factor in dealing with lifestyle diseases among people with mental illnesses.

We assessed whether changeover from open retropubic [RRP] to robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy [RALP] means a step forward or backward for the initial RALP patients. Therefore the first 105 RALPs of an experienced open prostatic surgeon and robotic novice--with tutoring in the initial 25 cases--were compared to the most recent 105 RRPs of the same surgeon. The groups were comparable with respect to patient characteristics and postoperative tumor characteristics (all P > 0.09). The only disadvantage of RALP was a longer operating time; the advantages were lower estimated blood loss, fewer anastomotic leakages, earlier catheter removal, shorter hospital stay (all P < 0.04), and less major complications within 90 days postoperatively (P < 0.01). Positive surgical margin rates were comparable both overall and stratified for pT stage in both groups (all P < 0.08). In addition, an equivalent number of lymph nodes were removed (P > 0.07). Twelve months after surgery, patient reported continence and erectile function were comparably good (all P > 0.11). Our study indicates that an experienced open prostatic surgeon and robotic novice who switches to RALP can achieve favorable surgical results despite the initial RALP learning curve. At the same time neither oncological nor functional outcomes are compromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a profile of ceramic artist Imke Splittgerber. The author mentions that Splittgerber, a native of Lower Saxony in north Germany, is a trained teacher who uses the pinch building method in creating stone-burnished, smoked-fired pots. The book, "Finding One's Way with Clay," by Paulus Beresohn is cited for reviving interest in the ancient pottery method. The article also includes information on Splittgerber's personal, educational and art career background.

Abstract: This comprehensive study focused on the spatial and seasonal variations of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers (OPs) in surface water from the estuary of the River Elbe and the German Bight (North Sea). 100 surface water samples were extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with regard to 16 different OPs. The dominating substance was found to be tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) (Elbe: 40–250ngL−1, German Bight: 3–28ngL−1). Furthermore, triethyl phosphate (TEP), tri-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP), and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) were detected in concentrations up to 180ngL−1. Seasonal trends were detected for the longitudinal profile of the Elbe estuary. Besides the dilution of river water with North Sea water toward the mouth, leading to decreasing concentrations at the four sampling cruises (March, May, August, and October, 2010), an additional depletion of non-halogenated OPs was observed in summer which is supposed to be due to biodegradation or photodegradation. In addition, a comparison of all important tributaries of the German Bight (Elbe, Ems, and Weser) as well as the indirect tributaries Meuse, Rhine, and Scheldt was done by multivariate statistical methods. It could be shown that the contribution of non-halogenated alkylated OPs in the Rhine was higher than in all other tributaries. The riverine input of OPs into the North Sea via the investigated tributaries was estimated to be about 50tyr−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: DOR/TP53INP2 acts both at the chromosomal level as a nuclear co-factor e.g. for the thyroid hormone receptor and at the extrachromosomal level as an organizing factor of the autophagosome. In a previous study, DOR was shown to be down-regulated in skeletal muscle of obese diabetic Zucker fa/fa rats. Methods: To identify sites of differential DOR expression in metabolically active tissues, we measured differences in DOR expression in white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), skeletal muscle (SM) and heart muscle (HM) by qPCR. To assess whether DOR expression is influenced in the short term by nutritional factors, NMRI mice were fed different fat rich diets (fat diet, FD: 18% or high fat diet, HFD: 80% fat) for one week and DOR expression was compared to NMRI mice fed a control diet (normal diet, ND: 3.3% fat). Additionally, DOR expression was measured in young (45 days old) and adult (100 days old) genetically obese (DU6/DU6i) mice and compared to control (DUKs/DUKsi) animals. Results: ANOVA results demonstrate a significant influence of diet, tissue type and sex on DOR expression in adipose and muscle tissues of FD and HFD mice. In SM, DOR expression was higher in HFD than in FD male mice. In WAT, DOR expression was increased compared to BAT in male FD and HFD mice. In contrast, expression levels in female mice were higher in BAT for both dietary conditions. DOR expression levels in all tissues of 100 days old genetically obese animals were mainly influenced by sex. In HM, DOR expression was higher in male than female animals. Conclusions: DOR expression varies under the influence of dietary fat content, tissue type and sex. We identified target tissues for further studies to analyze the specific function of DOR in obesity. DOR might be part of a defense mechanism against fat storage in high fat diets or obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a first account of our ongoing barcoding activities on Bavarian myriapods in the framework of the Barcoding Fauna Bavarica project and IBOL, the International Barcode of Life. Having analyzed 126 taxa (including 122 species) belonging to all major German chilopod and diplopod lineages, often using four or more specimens each, at the moment our species stock includes 82% of the diplopods and 65% of the chilopods found in Bavaria, southern Germany. The partial COI sequences allow correct identification of more than 95% of the current set of Bavarian species. Moreover, most of the myriapod orders and families appear as distinct clades in neighbour-joining trees, although the phylogenetic relationships between them are not always depicted correctly. We give examples of (1) high interspecific sequence variability among closely related species; (2) low interspecific variability in some chordeumatidan genera, indicating that recent speciations cannot be resolved with certainty using COI DNA barcodes; (3) high intraspecific variation in some genera, suggesting the existence of cryptic lineages; and (4) the possible polyphyly of some taxa, i.e. the chordeumatidan genus Ochogona. This shows that, in addition to species identification, our data may be useful in various ways in the context of species delimitations, taxonomic revisions and analyses of ongoing speciation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

im: According to the US Department of Health and Human Services () and the World Health Organization (), regular physical activity is essential to the healthy development of children and contributes to the reduction of chronic diseases throughout their life span. However, coordinated comprehensive national and international programs to promote physical activity and sports participation are lacking. According to the German Sports Federation (), physical education (PE) classes at German schools are increasingly being canceled or taught outside the school. "fit for pisa" is a German intervention developed in response to the demand for scientific evaluation of interventions like daily physical education. Its goal is to provide quality management-secured, structured and standardized PE instruction by qualified instructors. Subjects and methods: The "fit for pisa" intervention has been implemented at five primary schools in Göttingen, Germany, since 2003. This daily physical education intervention is based on quality standards. At the five primary schools participating in "fit for pisa," students receive a supplementary 3 class hours of PE/week in addition to the mandatory 2 class hours/week for the entire school term. In other words, the children now receive one 45-min session of PE each school day. Daily physical education is now a part of their mandatory school curriculum. The curriculum content and teaching methods have been continuously developed and optimized based on the state guidelines for Lower Saxony. Results: Teacher training is held at the participating schools once a month to promote standardized implementation and quality management of the intervention program. Additional monthly meetings are held so that the teachers can discuss any problems, deviations or other issues occurring in the classes. Checklists are provided for the teachers and external trainers to document the content and objectives of each lesson. Supervisors evaluate the checklists at regular intervals. Using these instruments, the results of the 4-year intervention program were evaluated at the five participating primary schools. Conclusions: This study provides important data for recommendations to implement additional physical education in primary schools, for the corresponding quality assurance instruments and for the optimization of physical education guidelines for primary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a May 2010 conference in Halle an der Saale, Germany, on the theme "More Than Cogs and Merchants. The Hansa Historiography and Its Contact Points With Current Projects in Late Medieval Research." Presenters discussed such topics as history studies of the Hanseatic League, the importance of European sea transport in the late medieval era, and merchant guilds in Hanseatic cities.