Participatory Patterns in an International Air Quality Monitoring Initiative

The issue of sustainability is at the top of the political and societal agenda, being considered of extreme importance and urgency. Human individual action impacts the environment both locally (e.g., local air/water quality, noise disturbance) and globally (e.g., climate change, resource use). Urban environments represent a crucial example, with an increasing realization that the most effective way of producing a change is involving the citizens themselves in monitoring campaigns (a citizen science bottom-up approach). This is possible by developing novel technologies and IT infrastructures enabling large citizen participation. Here, in the wider framework of one of the first such projects, we show results from an international competition where citizens were involved in mobile air pollution monitoring using low cost sensing devices, combined with a web-based game to monitor perceived levels of pollution. Measures of shift in perceptions over the course of the campaign are provided, together with insights into participatory patterns emerging from this study. Interesting effects related to inertia and to direct involvement in measurement activities rather than indirect information exposure are also highlighted, indicating that direct involvement can enhance learning and environmental awareness. In the future, this could result in better adoption of policies towards decreasing pollution.

Plant Size as Determinant of Species Richness of Herbivores, Natural Enemies and Pollinators across 21 Brassicaceae Species

Large plants are often more conspicuous and more attractive for associated animals than small plants, e.g. due to their wider range of resources. Therefore, plant size can positively affect species richness of associated animals, as shown for single groups of herbivores, but studies usually consider intraspecific size differences of plants in unstandardised environments. As comprehensive tests of interspecific plant size differences under standardised conditions are missing so far, we investigated effects of plant size on species richness of all associated arthropods using a common garden experiment with 21 Brassicaceae species covering a broad interspecific plant size gradient from 10 to 130 cm height. We recorded plant associated ecto-and endophagous herbivores, their natural enemies and pollinators on and in each aboveground plant organ, i.e. flowers, fruits, leaves and stems. Plant size (measured as height from the ground), the number of different plant organ entities and their biomass were assessed. Increasing plant size led to increased species richness of associated herbivores, natural enemies and pollinating insects. This pattern was found for ectophagous and endophagous herbivores, their natural enemies, as well as for herbivores associated with leaves and fruits and their natural enemies, independently of the additional positive effects of resource availability (i.e. organ biomass or number of entities and, regarding natural enemies, herbivore species richness). We found a lower R-2 for pollinators compared to herbivores and natural enemies, probably caused by the high importance of flower characteristics for pollinator species richness besides plant size. Overall, the increase in plant height from 10 to 130 cm led to a 2.7-fold increase in predicted total arthropod species richness. In conclusion, plant size is a comprehensive driver of species richness of the plant associated arthropods, including pollinators, herbivores and their natural enemies, whether they are endophagous or ectophagous or associated with leaves or fruits.

Die Koranschule. Eine Alternative zur öffentlichen Grundschule in einem laizistischen Staat? Ein Fallbeispiel: Die Republik Senegal

In Anbetracht der sich eher verschlechternden Lage des öffentlichen Schulwesens in den Ländern Schwarzafrikas sucht man in den internationalen und nationalen Diskussionen u.a. nach alternativen, auf traditionelle und private Bildungsformen aufbauenden Strategien zur Förderung der Grundbildung. Das sich verändernde islamische Bildungswesen in der zu über 90% muslimischen Republik Senegal könnte für einen großen Teil der Bevölkerung zu einer solchen Alternative werden, weil nur 48% der Kinder im Primarschulalter die öffentliche Schule besuchen, die sich am französischen Vorbild orientiert. (DIPF/Orig.)

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Members of the Genus Streptobacillus

The genus Streptobacillus (S.) remained monotypic for almost 90 years until two new species were recently described. The type species, S. moniliformis, is one of the two etiological agents of rat bite fever, an under-diagnosed, worldwide occurring zoonosis. In a polyphasic approach field isolates and reference strains of S. moniliformis, S. hongkongensis, S. felis as well as divergent isolates were characterized by comparison of molecular data (n = 29) and from the majority also by their physiological as well as proteomic properties (n = 22). Based on growth-independent physiological profiling using VITEK2-compact, API ZYM and the Micronaut system fastidious growth-related difficulties could be overcome and streptobacilli could definitively be typed despite generally few differences. While differing in their isolation sites and dates, S. moniliformis isolates were found to possess almost identical spectra in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Spectroscopic methods facilitated differentiation of S. moniliformis, S. hongkongensis and S. felis as well as one divergent isolate. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene as well as functional genes groEL, recA and gyrB revealed only little intraspecific variability, but generally proved suitable for interspecies discrimination between all three taxa and two groups of divergent isolates.

Literarische Sozialisation. Wie kann das Lesen von Geschichten zur Persoenlichkeitsentwicklung beitragen?

Ausgehend von einer Differenzierung des Konzeptes „literarische Sozialisation" zeigt der Aufsatz die Entwicklungsbedeutsamkeit des Umgehens mit fiktionalen Texten anhand der Sozialisations-„Produkte" Imaginationsfähigkeit und emotionale Schemata auf. Das Umgehen mit fiktionalen Gechichten kann beitragen zur Entstehung einer imaginativen, entwerfenden Haltung, zur Entwicklung von Empathie, Phantasie, Ich-Beteiligung sowie zur Erprobung eigener Welt- und Selbstentwürfe. Erlebnis- und Denkformen werden erweitert, vertieft und flexibilisiert, und zwar auch in kulturspezifischer und gesellschaftlich erwünschter Weise. Geschichten vermitteln kulturelle Gefühlsschablonen, in denen sich allgemeine Werthierarchien, Sinnentwürfe und normative Erwartungen ausdrücken. (DIPF/Orig.)

Degradation of Biofumigant Isothiocyanates and Allyl Glucosinolate in Soil and Their Effects on the Microbial Community Composition

Brassicales species rich in glucosinolates are used for biofumigation, a process based on releasing enzymatically toxic isothiocyanates into the soil. These hydrolysis products are volatile and often reactive compounds. Moreover, glucosinolates can be degraded also without the presence of the hydrolytic enzyme myrosinase which might contribute to bioactive effects. Thus, in the present study the stability of Brassicaceae plant-derived and pure glucosinolates hydrolysis products was studied using three different soils ( model biofumigation). In addition, the degradation of pure 2-propenyl glucosinolate was investigated with special regard to the formation of volatile breakdown products. Finally, the influence of pure glucosinolate degradation on the bacterial community composition was evaluated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA gene amplified from total community DNA. The model biofumigation study revealed that the structure of the hydrolysis products had a significant impact on their stability in the soil but not the soil type. Following the degradation of pure 2-propenyl glucosinolate in the soils, the nitrile as well as the isothiocyanate can be the main degradation products, depending on the soil type. Furthermore, the degradation was shown to be both chemically as well as biologically mediated as autoclaving reduced degradation. The nitrile was the major product of the chemical degradation and its formation increased with iron content of the soil. Additionally, the bacterial community composition was significantly affected by adding pure 2-propenyl glucosinolate, the effect being more pronounced than in treatments with myrosinase added to the glucosinolate. Therefore, glucosinolates can have a greater effect on soil bacterial community composition than their hydrolysis products.

Gesundheitserziehung in Schule und Unterricht

Der folgende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick zum Forschungsstand empirischer Untersuchungen zur Gesundheitserziehung in Schule und Unterricht. Dafür werden zunächst einige wichtige Besonderheiten des (gesundheitsrelevanten) Erlebens und Verhaltens dieser Altersgruppe dargestellt und die Frage beantwortet, ob Schule überhaupt ein geeigneter Ort für Gesundheitserziehung ist. Anschließend werden unterschiedliche schulische Präventions- und Interventionsmöglichkeiten mit Bezug auf Evaluationskriterien nach den tatsächlich erreichten Wirkungen diskutiert. Konsequenzen für die Gestaltung weiterer Maßnahmen und insbesondere für konkretes Lehrerhandeln stehen am Schluß. (DIPF/Orig.)

NK Cells of Kidney Transplant Recipients Display an Activated Phenotype that Is Influenced by Immunosuppression and Pathological Staging

To explore phenotype and function of NK cells in kidney transplant recipients, we investigated the peripheral NK cell repertoire, capacity to respond to various stimuli and impact of immunosuppressive drugs on NK cell activity in kidney transplant recipients. CD56(dim) NK cells of kidney transplanted patients displayed an activated phenotype characterized by significantly decreased surface expression of CD16 (p=0.0003), CD226 (p<0.0001), CD161 (p=0.0139) and simultaneously increased expression of activation markers like HLA-DR (p=0.0011) and CD25 (p=0.0015). Upon in vitro stimulation via Ca++-dependent signals, down-modulation of CD16 was associated with induction of interferon (IFN)-gamma expression. CD16 modulation and secretion of NFAT-dependent cytokines such as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-31 were significantly suppressed by treatment of isolated NK cells with calcineurin inhibitors but not with mTOR inhibitors. In kidney transplant recipients, IFN-gamma production was retained in response to HLA class I-negative target cells and to non-specific stimuli, respectively. However, secretion of other cytokines like IL-13, IL-17, IL-22 and IL-31 was significantly reduced compared to healthy donors. In contrast to suppression of cytokine expression at the transcriptional level, cytotoxin release, i.e. perforin, granzyme A/B, was not affected by immunosuppression in vitro and in vivo in patients as well as in healthy donors. Thus, immunosuppressive treatment affects NK cell function at the level of NFAT-dependent gene expression whereby calcineurin inhibitors primarily impair cytokine secretion while mTOR inhibitors have only marginal effects. Taken together, NK cells may serve as indicators for immunosuppression and may facilitate a personalized adjustment of immunosuppressive medication in kidney transplant recipients.

Schulische Gesundheitsförderung im Kontext von Klassenklima und sozialem Rückhalt durch die Lehrer. Wirkungen eines Präventivprogramms auf gesundheitsrelevantes Wissen und auf Erwartungen und Verhalten

Berichtet wird über die Evaluation eines schulischen Gesundheitsförderungsprogramms, wobei es spezifisch um Wechselwirkungen zwischen Programmeffekten und schulklimatischen Bedingungskonstellationen (Klassenklima/Lehrerrückhalt) auf Wissen über, Erwartungen an und Konsum von Zigaretten geht. An der Untersuchung waren 388 Schüler und Schülerinnen achter und neunter Klassen beteiligt. Im Rahmen eines quasi-experimentellen Untersuchungsdesigns wurde in der Hälfte der Schulklassen ein 28stündiges Unterrichtsprogramm zur Gesundheitsförderung durchgeführt, während die andere Hälfte als Kontrollgruppe ohne Treatment diente. In der Interventionsgruppe zeigten sich Wissenszuwächse sowie positive Veränderungen in den Ergebniserwartungen, zum Teil in Abhängigkeit von den Klassenklimavariablen. Positive Veränderungen im Konsumverhalten als Folge der Intervention ergaben sich bei jüngeren Raucher/innen, und es zeigten sich Zusammenhänge zwischen Veränderungen in den Erwartungen an den Zigarettenkonsum und solchen im Konsumverhalten. (DIPF/Orig.)

Parameter Identification in a Tuberculosis Model for Cameroon

A deterministic model of tuberculosis in Cameroon is designed and analyzed with respect to its transmission dynamics. The model includes lack of access to treatment and weak diagnosis capacity as well as both frequency-and density-dependent transmissions. It is shown that the model is mathematically well-posed and epidemiologically reasonable. Solutions are non-negative and bounded whenever the initial values are non-negative. A sensitivity analysis of model parameters is performed and the most sensitive ones are identified by means of a state-of-the-art Gauss-Newton method. In particular, parameters representing the proportion of individuals having access to medical facilities are seen to have a large impact on the dynamics of the disease. The model predicts that a gradual increase of these parameters could significantly reduce the disease burden on the population within the next 15 years.

Spiroacetals in the Colonization Behaviour of the Coffee Berry Borer: A 'Push-Pull' System

Coffee berries are known to release several volatile organic compounds, among which is the spiroacetal, conophthorin, an attractant for the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei. Elucidating the effects of other spiroacetals released by coffee berries is critical to understanding their chemo-ecological roles in the host discrimination and colonization process of the coffee berry borer, and also for their potential use in the management of this pest. Here, we show that the coffee berry spiroacetals frontalin and 1,6-dioxaspiro [4.5] decane (referred thereafter as brocain), are also used as semiochemicals by the coffee berry borer for host colonization. Bioassays and chemical analyses showed that crowding coffee berry borers from 2 to 6 females per berry, reduced borer fecundity, which appeared to correlate with a decrease in the emission rates of conophthorin and frontalin over time. In contrast, the level of brocain did not vary significantly between borer-uninfested and infested berries. Brocain was attractive at lower doses, but repellent at higher doses while frontalin alone or in a blend was critical for avoidance. Field assays with a commercial attractant comprising a mixture of ethanol and methanol (1:1), combined with frontalin, confirmed the repellent effect of this compound by disrupting capture rates of H. hampei females by 77% in a coffee plantation. Overall, our results suggest that the levels of frontalin and conophthorin released by coffee berries determine the host colonization behaviour of H. hampei, possibly through a 'push-pull' system, whereby frontalin acts as the 'push' (repellent) and conophthorin acting as the 'pull' (attractant). Furthermore, our results reveal the potential use of frontalin as a repellent for management of this coffee pest.

Zum Kenntnisstand von Jugendlichen über gesundheitliche Beratungsangebote. Eine Bestandsaufnahme und ein Interventionsansatz

Obwohl eine Vielzahl von Institutionen zur Verfügung steht, an die Kinder und Jugendliche sich bei Schwierigkeiten und Problemen wenden können, bestehen häufig Informationsdefizite und Schwellenängste, die dazu beitragen, daß viele Betroffene keine hinreichende Unterstützung erhalten. In der vorliegenden Studie, an der 1225 Kinder und Jugendliche im Alter von 10 bis 18 Jahren teilnahmen, erfolgt eine Bestandsaufnahme der gegenwärtig bestehenden Defizite und Hemmnisse, indem der Kenntnisstand zu institutionellen Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten und die möglichen Gründe, Unterstützungsangebote anzunehmen bzw. nicht anzunehmen, erfragt wurden. Auf der Basis der Ergebnisse der Bestandsaufnahme wird ein Interventionskonzept entwickelt, das dem Abbau von Informationsdefiziten und Schwellenängsten dient und damit die Akzeptanz bestehender Beratungsangebote erhöhen soll. (DIPF/Orig.)

Colonization of Onions by Endophytic Fungi and Their Impacts on the Biology of Thrips tabaci

Endophytic fungi, which live within host plant tissues without causing any visible symptom of infection, are important mutualists that mediate plant-herbivore interactions. Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) is one of the key pests of onion, Allium cepa L., an economically important agricultural crop cultivated worldwide. However, information on endophyte colonization of onions, and their impacts on the biology of thrips feeding on them, is lacking. We tested the colonization of onion plants by selected fungal endophyte isolates using two inoculation methods. The effects of inoculated endophytes on T. tabaci infesting onion were also examined. Seven fungal endophytes used in our study were able to colonize onion plants either by the seed or seedling inoculation methods. Seed inoculation resulted in 1.47 times higher mean percentage post-inoculation recovery of all the endophytes tested as compared to seedling inoculation. Fewer thrips were observed on plants inoculated with Clonostachys rosea ICIPE 707, Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4, Trichoderma atroviride ICIPE 710, Trichoderma harzianum 709, Hypocrea lixii F3ST1 and Fusarium sp. ICIPE 712 isolates as compared to those inoculated with Fusarium sp. ICIPE 717 and the control treatments. Onion plants colonized by C. rosea ICIPE 707, T. asperellum M2RT4, T. atroviride ICIPE 710 and H. lixii F3ST1 had significantly lower feeding punctures as compared to the other treatments. Among the isolates tested, the lowest numbers of eggs were laid by T. tabaci on H. lixii F3ST1 and C. rosea ICIPE 707 inoculated plants. These results extend the knowledge on colonization of onions by fungal endophytes and their effects on Thrips tabaci.

Wind Farm Facilities in Germany Kill Noctule Bats from Near and Far

Over recent years, it became widely accepted that alternative, renewable energy may come at some risk for wildlife, for example, when wind turbines cause large numbers of bat fatalities. To better assess likely populations effects of wind turbine related wildlife fatalities, we studied the geographical origin of the most common bat species found dead below German wind turbines, the noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula). We measured stable isotope ratios of non-exchangeable hydrogen in fur keratin to separate migrants from local individuals, used a linear mixed-effects model to identify temporal, spatial and biological factors explaining the variance in measured stable isotope ratios and determined the geographical breeding provenance of killed migrants using isoscape origin models. We found that 72% of noctule bat casualties (n = 136) were of local origin, while 28% were long-distance migrants. These findings highlight that bat fatalities at German wind turbines may affect both local and distant populations. Our results indicated a sex and age-specific vulnerability of bats towards lethal accidents at turbines, i.e. a relatively high proportion of killed females were recorded among migratory individuals, whereas more juveniles than adults were recorded among killed bats of local origin. Migratory noctule bats were found to originate from distant populations in the Northeastern parts of Europe. The large catchment areas of German wind turbines and high vulnerability of female and juvenile noctule bats call for immediate action to reduce the negative cross-boundary effects of bat fatalities at wind turbines on local and distant populations. Further, our study highlights the importance of implementing effective mitigation measures and developing species and scale-specific conservation approaches on both national and international levels to protect source populations of bats. The efficacy of local compensatory measures appears doubtful, at least for migrant noctule bats, considering the large geographical catchment areas of German wind turbines for this species.

Werner Thole / Davina Höblich / Sarina Ahmed (Hrsg.): Taschenwörterbuch Soziale Arbeit. Bad Heilbrunn / Stuttgart: Klinkhardt UTB 2012 [Rezension]

Rezension von: Werner Thole / Davina Höblich / Sarina Ahmed (Hrsg.): Taschenwörterbuch Soziale Arbeit, Bad Heilbrunn / Stuttgart: Klinkhardt UTB 2012 (320 S.; ISBN 978-3-8525-3655-7)