Search

The aim of the study was to investigate relationships between temperament, character and perceived parental rearing among Iranian refugees resettled in Sweden. Our hypothesis was that temperament, character and parental rearing exert buffering effect against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the particular impact of specific factors. One hundred refugees participated in the project. They were assessed by means of the SCL-90-R, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the EMBU and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). A high level of self-directedness appeared as having a possible buffering effect against PTSD after several severe traumata. Furthermore, we found specific effects of other personality characteristics and of parental rearing in determining the relationships between the experience of several traumatic events and later psychopathological manifestations among the refugees. The educational level and the length of living in Sweden represented important socio-cultural factors in decreasing psychological disturbances. Even more, we found that despite the experience of an extreme trauma some of the refugees did not suffer from severe depression or other psychosomatic complaints.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelatedness between temperament and character according to Cloninger's biosocial theory of personality, coping behavior, and social support among traumatized refugees. Personality, psychopathological disturbances, coping resources, and social support were assessed in 100 Iranian refugees resettled in Sweden who had been exposed to various extreme traumatic life events in Iran before their escape. Individuals traumatized by war experiences as soldiers, with low Beck Depression Inventory scores showed the lowest scores in Harm Avoidance and the highest in Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness. Concerning coping resources and social support, these subjects scored slightly higher and the traumatized refugees with high Beck Depression Inventory scores scored slightly lower compared with nontraumatized subjects. Resilient refugees are characterized by low harm avoidance, high self-directedness, and high cooperativeness scores which enables them to develop effective coping strategies to obtain sufficient social support and thus to become more resistant against severe trauma.

Background: This placebo-controlled study was designed to investigate the influence of two diffe-rent stimulation procedures of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on depressive symptoms in patients with depressive disorders. Furthermore, effects on cognitive functions and psychomotor functioning were tested. Methods: Thirty patients with depression (22 females and 8 males; mean age of 56.4 years) were included. They were treated with a stable dosage of antidepressant medication. They received either high frequency rTMS (20 Hz) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC), low frequency rTMS (1 Hz) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (RDLPFC) or sham stimulations (10 patients in each group) as add on treatment at 10 days within 2 weeks. Depressive symptoms were registered by means of observer ratings (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale – HDRS) and self reports (Beck Depression Inventory – BDI). Psychomotor retardation was investigated by the Motor Agitation and Retardation Scale and cognitive function by d2 test. Results and conclusions: Differences between the rTMS procedures regarding depressive symptoms could not be found. Motor abnormalities, however, significantly improved exclusively after real stimulation procedures. Patients with less severe deficits in psychomotor speed and concentration responded more intensively than patients with severe deficits.

The Fear Survey Schedule-III (FSS-III) was administered to a total of 5491 students in Australia, East Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and Venezuela, and submitted to the multiple group method of confirmatory analysis (MGM) in order to determine the cross-national dimensional constancy of the five-factor model of self-assessed fears originally established in Dutch, British, and Canadian samples. The model comprises fears of bodily injury-illness-death, agoraphobic fears, social fears, fears of sexual and aggressive scenes, and harmless animals fears. Close correspondence between the factors was demonstrated across national samples. In each country, the corresponding scales were internally consistent, were intercorrelated at magnitudes comparable to those yielded in the original samples, and yielded (in 93% of the total number of 55 comparisons) sex differences in line with the usual finding (higher scores for females). In each country, the relatively largest sex differences were obtained on harmless animals fears. The organization of self-assessed fears is sufficiently similar across nations to warrant the use of the same weight matrix (scoring key) for the FSS-III in the different countries and to make cross-national comparisons feasible. This opens the way to further studies that attempt to predict (on an a priori basis) cross-national variations in fear levels with dimensions of national cultures.

Financial Planning ist als Beratungsleistung fur vermogende Private seit etlicher Zeit in aller Munde. Besonders die Einfuhrung des Certified Financial Planner im Jahre 1997 hat dazu gefuhrt, dass in den Medien, in der Fachpresse und auf Konferenzen das Thema intensiv diskutiert wird. Mittlerweile sind uber 700 Finanzplaner in Deutschland tatig. Doch die erste Euphorie ist verflogen: Namhafte Anbieter haben ihre Arbeit eingestellt oder reduzieren drastisch ihr Leistungsangebot. Grund genug, um uber einige Aspekte detaillierter nachzudenken.

Auf dem deutschen Markt werden verschiedene Modelle von kreditfinanzierten Altersvorsorgeprodukten angeboten. Sie nennen sich „Kombi-Rente“, „Europlan“, „Sicherheits-Kompaktrente“, „Konzeptrente“ oder auch „System-Rente“. Jeder Anbieter unterscheidet sich im Detail von seinem Wettbewerber. Dennoch haben alle Angebote eines gemeinsam (siehe Abbildung): Es wird heute ein groser Geldbetrag in eine „Rentenversicherung“ eingezahlt. Der Begriff „Rentenversicherung“ stimmt nur teilweise, da einige Anbieter auch Lebensversicherung oder Investmentfonds verwenden. Daher wird im Text alternativ der Begriff „Rentenbaustein“ verwendet. Die Besonderheit des „Rentenbausteins“: Der Grosteil der Einzahlung in die Versicherung erfolgt aber nicht aus Eigenkapital, sondern mittels Bankkredit.

We performed a cross-validation of results from investigations in juvenile delinquents in Russia and Germany concerning relationships of personality characteristics in terms of temperament and character with parental rearing. Both studies used the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) based on Cloninger's psychobiological theory, and the Own Memories on Parenting (Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran-Swedish [EMBU]) questionnaire on parental rearing based on Perris' vulnerability model. The inter-relatedness of parental rearing, temperament, and character traits in socially normally integrated adolescents, as well as in delinquent adolescents, implying direct and indirect pathways from personality and parental rearing to delinquency, could be cross-validated. Differences between delinquents and socially normally integrated adolescents are rather based on different levels of expressions of various temperament traits, harm avoidance and novelty seeking in particular, and the character trait self-directedness, as well as on parental rearing behavior (predominantly parental rejection and emotional warmth) than on different structures within related developmental processes.

Distribution by age and sex of the dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory were assessed cross-culturally for samples in Sweden, Germany, and the USA. The Temperament and Character Inventory is a 240-item (Sweden, 238-item), self-administered, true-false format, paper-and-pencil test developed by Cloninger and his coworkers based on his unified biosocial theory of personality. The inventory measures the Temperament dimensions Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence, and Persistence as well as the Character dimensions, Self-directedness, Cooperativeness, and Self-transcendence. The samples consisted of 300 German subjects, 300 Swedish subjects, and 300 U.S. subjects matched by age cohort and sex. Stability of the personality dimensions was evaluated across samples as were their age and sex distributions. We found significant effects of age, sex, and culture in univeriate and multivariate comparisons on the personality dimensions. However, several significant differences in the personality dimensions for both European samples appear to be similar compared with those of the U.S. sample. We have to conclude that sex- and age-specific norms for the dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory are necessary given the established significant differences.

Background: Today, patient serf-determination has become an issue in many western countries due to the widespread availability and use of technology, which makes it possible to prolong life often in spite of severe disability and poor quality of life. Many people fear an overzealous use of modern life-saving procedures which merely serve to prolong tiie dying process. As a first step towards autonomy and increasing serf-determination, advance directives (living wills) have been introduced in some countries. Methods: To survey a general population's attitudes towards advance directives and serf-determination a questionnaire was mailed to a representative sample of 600 citizens in northern Sweden. Issues regarding importance of control, concerns about own hearth care, treatment preferences and support for and use of advance directives were addressed. Results: There was a response rate of 80% and the great majority of respondents reported that It was extremely or very important to have a say in decisions about their hearth care (79.5%). A significant number of subjects were concerned about either being treated too aggressively or not aggressively enough. There was a variability in treatment preferences, depending on the reversibility of the condition. Conclusions: The results demonstrate a vital interest among the Swedish general public for greater serf-determination in hearth care, which is also reflected by their support of advance directives.

Objectives—The study was performed in order to investigate how end-of-life decisions are influenced by cultural and sociopolitical circumstances and to explore the compliance of doctors with patient wishes Participants and measurement—Five hundred and thirty-five physicians were surveyed in Sweden (Umea),Germany (Rostock and Neubrandenburg), and in Russia (Arkhangelsk) by a questionnaire.The participants were recruited according to availability and are not representative.The questionnaire is based on the one developed by Molloy and co-workers in Canada which contains three case vignettes about an 82-year-old Alzheimer patient with an acute life-threatening condition;the questionnaire includes diVerent levels of information about his treatment wishes.We have added various questions about attitudes determining doctors’decision making process (legal and ethical concerns,patient’s and family wishes,hospital costs,patient’s age and level of dementia and physician’s religion). Results—Swedish physicians chose fewer life-prolonging interventions as compared with the Russian and the German doctors.Swedish physicians would perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of a cardiac arrest less frequently,followed by the German doctors.More than half the Russian physicians decided to perform CPR irrespective of the available information about the patient’s wishes.Level of dementia emerged as the most powerful determining attitude-variable for the decision making in all three countries. Conclusions—The lack of compliance with patient wishes among a substantial number of doctors points to the necessity of emphasising ethical aspects both in medical education and clinical practice.The inconsistency in the treatment decisions of doctors from diVerent countries calls for social consensus in this matter.

The study was performed in order to determine cross-culturally to what extent various attitudes (legal and ethical concerns, hospital costs, level of dementia, patient's age, patient's wishes, family wishes, doctor's religion) influence the treatment decisions of doctors in face of a critically ill incompetent elderly patient. Convenience samples of doctors in Sweden (n=104), Germany (n=191) and Russia (n=232) were surveyed by means of a self-administered questionnaire comprising a case-vignette of an incompetent elderly patient. The importance of various attitudes attributed to the treatment decision varied between countries. The differences were mostly pronounced for the importance of hospital costs (highest in Russia), patient and family wishes (both highest in Sweden) and level of dementia (highest in Sweden). They reflect diverging clinical practice and underlying societal values. They point to the necessity of the development of uniform standards and training of doctors in ethical issues.

Do-not-resuscitate orders (DNR orders) and advance directives (AD) have been developed and their use by patients is increasing. The objective of the study was to evaluate the compliance with patient's wishes and doctors' and nurses' agreement on decision-making in the treatment of elderly patients from a cross-cultural perspective.One hundred and four Swedish physicians and 122 nurses as well as 192 German physicians and 182 nurses from teaching and university hospitals were surveyed by a questionnaire based on a case-vignette with three scenarios of available information about patient's wishes for treatment.A relationship between the perceived level of help and the chosen treatment option was established for all four samples, especially for the scenario in which an AD was available. Two patterns of closely related determinants appeared: (a) 'patient's wishes', 'ethical concerns', and 'family wishes'; and (b) 'patient's age', 'level of dementia', and 'hospital costs'.An intensive and continuous education of physicians and nurses in medical ethics is required to promote patient autonomy in clinical practice. The ethical implications of patient's age and level of dementia in relation to hospital costs should constitute important topics of these educational programs.

Within the framework of Perris' vulnerability model of psychopathology the relationships between perceived parental rearing and coping behaviour in adulthood have been investigated. Rejecting and punitive rearing practices of both parents seem to contribute to the formation of intrapsychic, emotion-oriented coping strategies. The results indicate that childhood social experiences, in particular, parent-child relations, both directly affect vulnerability to psychopathological manifestations in later life and indirectly influence the conditions through the aquisition of coping strategies.

Batch techniques were utilized to investigate sorption kinetics of chlortoluron (3-(3-chlor-p-tolyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) in two field-moist soils, a silt loam (Typic Hapludalf) and a loamy sand (Aquic Haplumbrept), containing 1.1 and 0.7% organic C. To investigate effects of soil pretreatment, a part of both soil samples was initially air-dried. Initially sorption-desorption isotherms were measured using field-moist soils. Both isotherms exhibited pronounced hysteresis. The fit of a nonlinear kinetic two-stage sorption model to the data suggests that hysteresis was caused by nonattainment of equilibrium within the 24-h agitation periods. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the estimated kinetic parameters were well suited to predict concentration vs. time experiments in both soils. The prediction of sorption-desorption isotherms measured using air-dried soils failed. Compared with the predicted data, adsorption in air-dried soil was increased while desorption hysteresis was less pronounced. Further experiments indicated that changes of soil organic matter (SOM) caused by air-drying were responsible for this effect. Measuring 24-h partitioning coefficients using the air-dried soils, rewetted to field-moisture for varying periods of time, revealed that in the course of 80 h (silt loam) and 500 h (loamy sand) after rewetting, the sorption properties of the air-dried soils were again equal to those of the respective field-moist soils.

OBJECTIVES: The subject of patient self-determination in health care has gained broad interest because of the increasing number of incompetent patients. In an attempt to solve the problems related to doctors' decision making in such circumstances, advance directives have been developed. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between public attitudes towards patient autonomy and advance directives. SUBJECTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A stratified random sample of 600 adults in northern Sweden was surveyed by a questionnaire with a response rate of 78.2%. The subjects were asked about their wish for control of their health care, their concerns about health care, their treatment preferences in a life-threatening situation (both reversible and irreversible), and their attitudes towards the application of advance directives. RESULTS: Numerous relationships between various aspects of self-determination in health care (desire for control, fears of over-treatment, and choice of treatment level) in general and advance directives, in particular, were found. Those who wanted to have a say in their health care (about 94%) also mainly supported the use of an advance directive. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that almost 30% of the respondents were undecided concerning their personal use of advance directives points to a lack of knowledge and to the necessity of education of the public on these issues.

Almost all investigations concerning the relationships between sibship size, sibship position and psychiatric disorders addressed more formal aspects, i.e. frequency and position, with contradictory and inconsistent results. Analyses considering sibship size and birth order as mediating factors between parental rearing and psychopathological manifestations in adults are lacking. The present results of an investigation of 1,013 psychiatric inpatients and 251 healthy volunteers support a systematic association between sibship size and parental rearing, mainly in terms of a reversed relationship between emotional warmth, overprotection and number of siblings. An excess of psychiatric patients in the middle position of a sibling seems to be related to specific unfavourable rearing patterns. A validation of our preliminary results would be required in terms of preventive measures for children of risk populations.

Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to study N mineralization kinetics of soils from north of Braunschweig, where sewage water has been displaced since the fifties. Three bulk top soil samples (0-30 cm depth) were collected from a field plot which had spatially variable concentrations of heavy metals. The soils were sandy (97% sand) with a pH of 5.3 and ranged in total Cu from 4.2 to 8.3, Cd from 0.73 to 1.3, Zn from 11.6 to 26.0 and Cr from 5.4 to 8.3 mg kg−1 soil. The N mineralization was not affected by the heavy metal concentration of the soil. The amount of N mineralized was related to total C and N concentration in soils. Addition of heavy metal salts, at rates of 50, 100 and 200 mg Cu kg−1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5 mg Cd kg−1 and 200 and 400 mg Zn kg−1 soil, depressed N mineralization. Their effect was small until 8 weeks after incubation but the differences between heavy metal treated and untreated soils generally widened with the time of incubation. The heavy metals mainly inhibited nitrification and caused accumulation of NH4-N in the soil. Addition of organic matter as finely ground radish leaves (0.55 g 100 g−1 soil) improved mineralization but did not alleviate the inhibitory effect of added heavy metals on nitrification.

Different submodels within complex model packages on N regimes — for plant N-uptake, net N-mineralization, nitrate leaching and microbial N immobilization — are critically reviewed mainly with regard to their prediction ability on the basis of three comparative papers. Only for some of the processes adequate statistical evaluation of the models was possible. Compared to the other statistically evaluable process, nitrate leaching, modeling of plant N-uptake yields the better results. Most models for mineralization use arbitrary approaches rather than empirical ones. Although only approximate estimates of N mineralisation were at hand, the models generally behave expectedly poor. Only one model — DAISY — out of 16 involved in the comparison uses an explicit microbial biomass sub-model including microbial growth, decline and maintenance terms. So DAISY is the only model coupling C and N cycles. But what is true for an individual model describing the C and N transformation of a lab incubation experiment seems to be valid for most of the complex simulation work on the C and N regimes: this model was said to be overparameterized with respect to the available data.

Warteschlangennetze sind eine weit verbreitete Klasse von Simulationsmodellen, die ihre Hauptanwendungsgebiete im Bereich Betriebssysteme, Rechnernetze und Materialflussysteme haben. In dieser Arbeit wird ein Testbett namens DISQUE (=Distributed Simulator for Queueing Networks) vorgestellt, in dem verschiedene Strategien zur Parallelisierung ereignisgesteuerter Simulationen im Hinblick auf ihre praktische Verwendbarkeit fur die Simulation von Warteschlangennetzen untersucht werden sollen. Weiterhin wird uber Erfahrungen bei der Implementierung des Testbetts auf einem Tranputer-System unter HELIOS sowie einer Portierung dieses Systems auf eine SUN-Workstation als ”pseudo-paralleles” System zu Debugging-Zwecken berichtet.

In a pilot study of 72 psychiatric inpatients, relationships between state versus trait aspects of depression and perceived parental rearing have been investigated. It appeared that trait aspects (assessed by the mood scale of the Giessen test) yielded the most frequent and highest correlations with the factors rejection, emotional warmth and overprotection of the EMBU (Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran--My Memories of Upbringing) questionnaire of parental rearing. Particularly rejecting maternal rearing behaviour during childhood seems to constitute a risk factor for the development of trait depression during adulthood.

A simple functional computer model for advisory purposes is described. Results of simulation indicate some limitations of the model especially in handling the water regime in soils with fluctuating water tables. A major problem seems to be the ‘disappearance’ of fertilizer N. Measurements by the fumigation-extraction method of microbial N during the growing season show that disappearance of fertilizer N can partly be explained by immobilization by the microbial biomass.

Auditory evoked brain potentials (AEP) were recorded from nine healthy male subjects during three types of condition: A - subject and visual field stationary; B - subject vibrated (z-axis, 0.6 Hz, 1.85 ms-2 rms), visual field stationary; C - subject stationary, visual field vibrated (as for B). The visual surround was confined to a checkerboard pattern in front of the subject. Auditory stimuli (1000 Hz, 86 dB, interstimulus interval 7 s) were delivered via headphones to evoke AEP. Vibration-synchronous activity in the EEG was eliminated by a subtraction technique. In comparison with condition A, conditions B and C caused an attenuation of P2 and N1P2 components of AEP together with an increased latency of N1. Effects of conditions B and C did not differ. Direct vestibular stimulation and mechanisms specific for whole-body vibration were rejected as modes of action. The AEP-changes and the subjective evaluation of experimental conditions, arousal and performance, as well as symptoms of kinetosis (motion sickness) suggest a sensory mismatch, leading to a "latent kinetosis" with de-arousal, as the dominating mechanism by which the processing of information was affected. This suggestion was supported by an additional pilot study. Under real working conditions a similar effect can be expected during relative motion between the driver and his visual surround, i.e. even with perfect vibro-isolation of the driver's seat.

Fur die vertikale Verlagerung von physikalisch wechselwirkenden Kationen wie K+, Na+, Ca2+ und Mg2+ wird ein einfacher deterministischer Modellansatz vorgestellt. Die Kalibrierung anhand von ungestorten und geschutteten Los-Bodensaulen unter quasi-stationaren Bedingungen zeigt die grundsatzlich richtige Wiedergabe gemessener Verlagerungsprofile durch das Modell. Die Darstellung der physikalischen Wechselwirkung fust auf Austauschisothermen vom Typ der Beckettkurve, aus deren Steigung sich die Gapon-Koeffizienten direkt ableiten. Im nichtlinearen Bereich der Isothermen ist die Rechnung mit variablen Gapon-Koeffizienten erforderlich. Die als Folge einer KCl-Dungung auftretende K+-Fixierung wird mit Hilfe eines einfachen Diffusionsansatzes dargestellt. Die in einem der Experimente beobachteten Verlagerungsphanomene lassen sich nur unter Berucksichtigung eines dualen Porensystems beschreiben. Leaching of physically interactive ions in soils - Model development and calibration - A deterministic approach is presented in order to describe vertical leaching of physically interactive cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+). Model calibration with undisturbed and disturbed Eutric Gleysol columns under quasi-stationary conditions shows good agreement between measured and simulated concentration profiles. Interaction with the soil matrix is measured on the base of exchange isotherms (Beckett, 1964). Gapon coefficients are derived directly from the slope of the Q/I relationships. In the case of non-linearity of the exchange isotherms it is necessary to use Gapon coefficients, variable in time and space. KCl application induces K+ fixation in every case, which can be described by a simple diffusion approach. Leaching phenomena in one of the undisturbed columns can only be explained on the base of a dual pore system.

Spatial variability of NO3, K, Mg and organic C of a loess field was studied by using a geostatistical concept, known as theory of regionalized variables. Fifty measurements were made at the nodes of a 30 m × 30 m grid for each of 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm depths. Semivariograms determined from the data showed that NO3 observations were spatially independent, and hence could be analyzed only by classical methods. Semivariograms of K, Mg and C showed these parameters to be correlated over space for a separating distance between two observations well exceeding 150 m. Their semivariograms were then used in an interpolation method called kriging, which takes into account the correlation between adjacent samples while estimating the interpolated (kriged) value without bias and with minimum variance. Means and estimation variances calculated by punctual kriging were compared to those obtained by classical theory assuming random sampling (i.e., no interdependence between observations). We obtained 1.4 to 3 fold gains in efficiency over that estimated by classical theory. One can, therefore, be sure that the estimation variance of the mean obtained in classical manner will overestimate the real variance unless the sample sites are so far apart that they are spatially independent. The kriged estimates were used to draw contour maps of the properties. Usefulness of such maps and the kriging technique as a whole is discussed to provide better options for management decisions. Finally, a method for determining sample sizes (i. e., number of observations), and hence sample spacing, is developed, taking account of spatial dependence. By this method, sample sizes can be chosen to achieve any desired precision. The sampling effort determined this way in less, and can be very less when based on block or universal kriging, than would have been judged necessary using the classical approach. Die raumliche Variabilitat einiger Nahrstoffe einer Parabraunerde aus Los II. Geostatistische Analyse Die raumliche Variabilitat von NO3, K, Mg und organischem C wurde unter Zuhilfenahme eines geostatistischen Konzepts, das als die Theorie der regionalisierten Variablen bekannt ist, untersucht. Funfzig Messungen an den Knoten eines 30 m × 30 m Gitternetzes wurden fur jeweils 0-30, 30-60 und 60-90 cm Tiefe vorgenommen. Die daraus bestimmten Variogramme zeigten eine raumliche Unabhangigkeit der NO3-Gehalte, die aus diesem Grund nur mit klassischen Methoden analysiert werden konnten. Semivariogramme von K, Mg und C ergaben eine raumliche Abhangigkeit bis zu einem Abstand von mehr als 150 m zwischen zwei Mespunkten. Die Variogramme wurden dann in einer Interpolationsmethode (genannt Kriging) benutzt, die die Korrelation zwischen benachbarten Mespunkten berucksichtigt und die Schatzung der interpolierten Werte verzerrungsfrei und mit minimaler Varianz ermoglicht. Mittelwerte und Schatzvarianz durch Punktkriging wurden mit den durch klassische Theorie (d. h. keine Abhangigkeit zwischen den Beobachtungen) erhaltenen verglichen. Es ergab sich eine 1.4 bis 3 fach grosere Effizienz als bei der Schatzung durch die klassische Theorie. Mit den durch Kriging erhaltenen Schatzwerten wurden Karten mit Linien gleichen Gehalts fur die entsprechenden Parameter erstellt. Die Nutzlichkeit solcher Karten und der Kriging-Methode uberhaupt wird diskutiert im Hinblick auf bessere Management Entscheidungen. Schlieslich wird eine Methode entwickelt, urn die Probenanzahl und damit den Abstand zwischen den Entnahmepunkten zu bestimmen unter Berucksichtigung der raumlichen Abhangigkeit. Mit dieser Methode konnen Probengrosen so gewahlt werden, dal3 jede gewunschte Genauigkeit erhalten werden kann. Der auf diese Art bestimmte Aufwand zur Probenahme ist geringer als bei der Bestimmung durch die klassische Methode, und kann sogar sehr vie1 geringer sein bei der Anwendung von Block- oder Universalkriging.

Von 6 Feldern auf podsolierten Braunerden aus Geschiebesand wurden in Abstanden von 5–12 Tagen 7 mal Bodenproben genommen und hieraus Bodenlosung zur Messung der Kationen- (Ca, Mg, K, Na) und Anionen- (NO3, Cl) Konzentration abzentrifugiert (Abb. 1). Eine Regenperiode mit 90 mm in 10 Tagen erniedrigte die Konzentration in der Bodenlosung von 0–30 cm drastisch (Abb. 3) und lies sie in 30–60 cm entsprechend ansteigen (Abb. 5). Die Abnahme der K-Konzentration war aber viel geringer als die von Ca und Mg, wie es bei Bestehen eines Austauschgleichgewichts auch zu erwarten ist. Die AR0-Werte nach Beckett anderten sich durch die K-Verlagerung nur wenig, durch den Pflanzenentzug von K aber erheblich (Tab. 2). Es werden die theoretischen Moglichkeiten diskutiert, die unvermeidbare Auswaschung von K auf Kosten von Ca und Mg niedrig zu halten. Changes in the soil solution ionic concentration of intensively cropped sandy dystric cambisols of NW-Germany in the rainy summer of 1984 Of 6 fields (barley, oats, corn, beets) soil samples of the layers 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm were collected 7 times with intervalls of 5 to 12 days from May until July. Soil water was centrifuged from the soil (Fig.1), and analysed for Ca, Mg, K, Na, NO3 and Cl. From an initial high level the ionic concentrations in 0–30 cm (Tab. 1) were lowered drastically, and raised accordingly in 30–60 cm (Fig.3 and 5) by 90 mm rain within 10 days. The decrease in K-concentration by dilution was considerably less than that of Ca and Mg as would be expected if exchange equilibrium is reached. AR-values after Beckett (equalled those calculated from soil solution ion activities) did not change with K displacement, however, markedly with K plant uptake (Tab. 2). The theoretical chances of reducing unavoidable K displacement from the root zone at the cost of Ca and Mg are discussed.

— In a study of 100 inpatients suffering from depressive symptoms, the influence of cognitive characteristics (negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional attitudes) and of the severity of depression on the emotional reflections of social relationships were investigated at admission, discharge and 3 months follow-up. The reflections of strained relation and rejection in the family or partnership were significantly determined by negative cognitive patterns and severity of depression. The prognostic aspects of the assessed psychological characteristics and the psycho-therapeutic implications of the results are discussed.

SummaryLeaching in a salt-affected, permeable, sandy loam soil was evaluated under continuous and intermittent ponding conditions in 2 × 2 m (S1), 4 × 4 m (S2) and 6 × 6 m (S3) plots. The soil contained large amounts of soluble salts throughout the profile to the water table, chiefly chlorides and sulphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium. The leaching curves did not differ significantly between Slf Sa and S3 plots under continuous ponding but did under intermittent ponding. The leaching efficiency decreased sharply with increased plot size. The leaching efficiency in Sj plots was significantly greater with intermittent than with continuous ponding, but the reverse was true in S3 plots. The displacement of the resident soil solution in S1 plots under intermittent ponding was nearly piston-like. With increased plot size, it tended to deviate from this behaviour. The leaching curves from S3 plots (this size being reasonable in farmers' fields) were compared with those obtained from numerical solution of a simplified steady-state salt transport model. The model also included a source term, solubility rate constant, for the slightly soluble salts present in the experimental soil. The pore water velocity was estimated from field capacity and time-averaged infiltration rate. The effective dispersion coefficient and solubility rate constant were estimated by a least-squares minimization technique. A reasonably good agreement was obtained between simulated and experimental leaching curves. For practical purposes, this simple model may be adequate to predict leaching in salt-affected soils similar to the one under consideration.

This study extends Wind and Van Doorne analysis by simulation of water flow through unsaturated soils. The essence of the numerical solution is use of an approximation statement concerning saturated hydraulic conductivity in the Darcy water flux equation. Differentiation with respect to depth is made, and time profiles are set. Thus, corresponding vertical infiltration can be calculated. Examples are given using least-square fitted exponential regression segments derived from measured hydraulic conductivity, in the cases of a clay soil, a sandy soil, and a loess.

Wahrend der Vegetationszeit des Winter-Weizens 1984/85 wurde ein Mikroparzellen-Versuch (Oberflache 1 · 2 m; Versuchsboden: Los-Braunerde-Pseudogley) mit Hilfe des stabilen Isotops 15N auf einem Schlag der Calenberger Losborde bei Hannover durchgefuhrt. Die Untersuchungen dienten einerseits der Quantifizierung der an die Stroheinarbeitung (· 8 t/ha) gekoppelten Immobilisation und Remobilisation des boden- und dungerburtigen Stickstoffs, andererseits der Erfassung des Abbaus sowie der C- und N-Mengenanderung von in Umsetzung befindlichem Strohmaterial. Innerhalb von einem Jahr wurden rund 70% der Ausgangs-Trockenmasse des Strohs mineralisiert. Im Strohmaterial selbst wurden wahrend des Versuchszeitraumes netto bis zu 20 kg boden- und dungerburtiger Stickstoff uber die Ausgangs-N-Menge hinaus gebunden. Die Stroheinarbeitung verursachte auf einer mit Winter-Weizen bestandenen Parzelle gegenuber ihrer Null-Variante (ohne Stroh) eine mikrobielle N-Festlegung im Boden von rund 30–40 kg/ha (boden- und dungerburtiges N). Ab Marz 1985 war bei einem C/N-Verhaltnis im Stroh von etwa 43 N-Remobilisation und daran anschliesend N-Extramineralisation zu beobachten, die zu Versuchsende im Dezember 1985 fast 40 kg/ha betrug. The significance of wheat straw decomposition with regard to the C- and N-cycle of a cultivated loess soil In 1984/85, a microplot experiment with 15N-enriched fertilizer was carried out on a field of the Calenberg loess area near Hannover (surface area of the plots: 1 ± 2 m; experimental soil: stagnigleyic cambisol from loess). On the one hand, the extent of immobilization as well as remobilization of native soil- and fertilizer-N associated with straw incorporation (± 8 t/ha) was quantified. On the other hand, the turnover as well as the alteration of C- and N-masses in the decomposing straw material was studied. About 70% of the initial dry organic matter of straw was mineralized within one year. An enrichment of fertilizer-N as well as native soil-N in the residues of up to 20 kg/ha was observed as compared to the initial N-mass. On a microplot cropped with winter-wheat, microbial N-immobilization of about 30–40 kg/ha (native soil-N and fertilizer-N) occured in the soil after straw incorporation. The immobilization extended to march 1985. Subsequent, associated with a C/N-ratio in the straw of 43, N-remineralization as well as -extramineralization was observed with 40 kg/ha at maximum in december 1985.

Periodic N-min measurements were used to validate a simple model describing N regime of cropped Loess soils over the winter half-year. The model comprises of submodels for N mineralization, nitrate transport and N uptake by plants. The description of mineralization is based on kinetic studies in the lab by means of incubation experiments. The transport model is as described earlier4 avoiding an explicite modeling of water movement through soils. Plant uptake for this period was modelled only roughly. The agreement between measurement and simulation is for about 90% of all cases within the confidence interval of the measured values. Possible reasons for the observed deviations are discussed.

This study was carried out in order: (1) to examine the effects of isolated and combined prolonged exposures to noise and whole-body vibration on hearing, vision and subjectively experienced strain, and (2) to check the combined effects with repeated exposures. Six male subjects were exposed twice to noise (N) at 92 dBA, whole-body vibration (V) in the Z-axis at 4 Hz and 1.0 ms-2 rms, and noise and vibration (NV) for 90 min with each condition. Temporary threshold shifts of hearing (TTS) and their integrals (ITTS) were measured at 4, 6, 10, and 12 kHz. Visual acuity was examined by means of a very sensitive test. Cross-modality matching (CMM) of the handgrip force was used to judge the subjectively experienced strain. NV induced a clear tendency of higher TTS and ITTS than N, with several significant differences most pronounced at 10 kHz. With repeated exposures, the effect of NV decreased, while the reactions to N and V remained unchanged. The individual reactions to NV differed. The influence of the duration of exposures on vision depended on the condition; N caused time-dependent changes, whereas V did not. CMM-data increased with the duration of the exposure during V and NV. N was generally judged to be more straining than V; NV caused higher strain than V during the first 30 min of exposure only. Correlations between different effects suggest certain links between them. Additionally, less motivation--daily obtained by a questionnaire--often correlated with higher ITTS during N and NV. The results also illustrate the combined effects on the individual susceptibility, repetition of exposure, the kind of response, and, possibly, the actual psychic state.

Denitrification N losses can be determined by three methods. The first is by estimating the non-recovery of 15 N-labelled compounds (15N-balance method). Using this method, denitrification losses are deduced from the balance of an N budged (15N-labeled fertilizer), having accounted for transformations in soil, plant uptake, and leaching losses. The evolution of gaseous N from native soil N is not taken into account by this procedure. Studies on arable land with annual crops in the temperate zone have shown that of the fertilizer N applied, about 20–500% (10–70 kg N* ha−1) is not recovered at the end of the growth period. The second method of determining denitrification N losses is by in situ field measurement of 15 N 2 and 15 N 2 O production. Under this procedure, 15N-enriched N is applied to a plot and the denitrification N losses are determined by covering the soil. The method allows a quantitative estimate of the relative contributions to the emitted gas by both the original enriched source and the native soil N. N-evolution rates measured on arable land under a temperate climate are approximately the same order of magnitude as the N losses estimated by the non-recovery of 15 N method. The third measuring procedure is based on the acetylene inhibition phenomenon. This principle uses the inhibition of bacterial N2O reduction to N2 in the presence of acetylene (C2H2). The methoddetermines the denitrification of all NO3 −-N irrespective of its source. Measurements on classical crop production systems show maximum N losses in the temperate climate of about 20–30 kg N* ha−1 during the growth period of annual crops. A similar level of denitrification is estimated for grassland sites under the same climate. In the subtropics (mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters), from both intensively cultivated arable land and grassland sites, N losses may exceed 200 kg* ha−1 year−1. Without the use of irrigation the denitrification flux is negligible in spite of the high temperatures in this climate.

Calf-thymus DNA in diluted solutions (10 −3 –10 −9 g/ml) of different ionic strength (0–1 M ammonium bicarbonate, pH approx. 7) was subjected to electron-microscopic investigation. A special freeze-drying method was applied for fixation, and the contrasting was performed at the temperature of liquid nitrogen by means of Pt-C coating. Denatured, degraded and chymotrypsin-incubated samples were prepared as well. Contrary to expectations, no single threads could be seen on the electron micrographs. The DNA emerged from these experiments as a highly crosslinked network. The likelihood of preformed crosslinks is discussed in the light of present knowledge favouring such a structure. An attempt is made to reconcile the present results with the current picture of DNA in solution obtained from light-scattering and hydrodynamic methods. Some doubts are raised regarding the correct interpretation of these indirect measurements.

In 1991, field experiments on loess (with winter wheat) and sandy soils (with summer barley) were conducted to study N dynamics in the microbial biomass and non-exchangeable NHinf4sup+. The measurements showed a mass change in microbial N, with a maximum increase of 100 kg N ha-1 30 cm-1 from March to July in the loess soil, and a change for only 1 month (May) in the sandy soil. Plots treated with conventional levels of N fertilizer (213 kg N ha-1 on a loess soil to winter wheat and 130 kg ha-1 on the sandy soil to summer barley), reduced levels of N (83% and 62% of the conventional N application), or no N showed no consistent fertilizer N effect on microbial biomass N. From March to July, non-exchangeable NHinf4sup+in loess soils under winter wheat decreased by 110 kg N ha-1 30 cm-1 in conventionally fertilized plots and by 200 kg N ha-1 30 cm-1 in a plot with no N fertilizer. After harvest, the pool of non-exchangeable NHinf4sup+increased due to increasing mineral N concentrations in the soil.