Fir-dominated forests in Bavaria, Germany

The map of “Regional natural forest composition by main tree species” (WALENTOWSKI et al. 2001) depicts Bavaria as a region largely predominated by the European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Analyses of climatope, hygrotope and trophotope of fir-dominated regional natural units make evident that the reasons for the preponderance of the European silver fir (Abies alba) are edaphic. In terms of regeneration vigour, growth and yield the fir particularly dominates in habitats with a combination of humus cover, acid-oligotrophic topsoils and clayey or waterlogged subsoils, where the beech usually exhibits stunted and malformed growth forms. This ecological preference has the effect that Bavarian Abies alba-forests are restricted to small patches within a matrix of potential natural vegetation formed by mixed deciduous-coniferous mountain forests. Within European Natura 2000 areas Abies- forests should be recorded carefully as special habitats. Their transitional character between temperate beech forests (habitat type 9130) and boreal spruce forests (habitat type 9410), the ecological preference of Abies alba as an endangered tree species and their sensitivity against environmental stressors, including changes in forest structure, air quality, and climate, make them important objects for nature conservation

Investigations on the use of low density laser scanner data for mapping of forest areas : development of methods for forest inventory and monitoring tasks in respect to FFH mapping

The present article outlines the possible use of public Airborne Laserscanning (ALS) data, furnished by the Bavarian Land Survey Administration for the assessment, evaluation and monitoring of FFH areas (Special Areas of Conservation SAC). First of all, the different information levels of importance for a characterization of FFH areas are defined. On the basis of this definition, for each described information level the availability of information out of ALS data is tested. In this context, different methods of information assessment are investigated. FFH areas in the pre-alpine area of Bavaria, offering a maximum of ecological heterogeneity, have been used as test sites. The investigation included topographical structures like inclination of forest stands and the semi-automatic mapping of canyons and ditches. In the process of the assessment of forest structures, special emphasis was laid on the mapping of old-growth trees and gaps as well as on the detection of forest stand types, the percentage of deadwood and habitat trees. Whereas the detection of deadwood and habitat trees proved to be impossible using public ALS data of low point density, the assessment of stand types offered poor results. The use of ALS data for the assessment of topographic and forest structures however proved to be very successful.Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden Möglichkeiten zur Nutzung von amtlichen Laserscannerdaten zur Erfassung, Beobachtung und Bewertung von FFH-Gebieten beschrieben. Dabei werden zunächst verschiedenen Informationsebenen definiert, die für die Charakterisierung von FFH-Gebieten von Bedeutung sind. Basierend auf dieser Definition wird für jede beschriebene Informationsebenen geprüft, inwieweit die Information aus Laserscannerdaten abgegriffen werden kann. Hierbei werden verschiedene Methoden der Informationsableitung getestet. Untersuchungsgebiete waren FFH-Gebiete im voralpinen Raum, die eine möglichst vielseitige Ausstattung ausweisen. Untersucht wurde sowohl die Erfassung von Geländestrukturen, wie die Kartierung der Hangneigung unter Wald und die automatische Erfassung von Schluchten als auch Gräben. Bei der Erfassung der Waldstrukturen war vor allem die Ausweisung homogener und inhomogen strukturierter Bereiche, die Kartierung von Überhältern und Lücken, aber auch die Erfassung von Bestandestypen, Totholzanteil und Biotopbäumen von Bedeutung. Während Aussagen zum Totholzanteil und zu Biotopbäumen mit den gering aufgelösten amtlichen Daten nicht möglich waren und die Erfassung von Bestandestypen nur grob erfolgen konnte, hat die Nutzung von Laserscannerdaten zur Erfassung von Geländestrukturen und Waldstrukturen sehr gute Ergebnisse erbracht

Sensors Best Paper Award 2015

Since 2011, an annual award system was instituted to recognize outstanding Sensors papers that are related to sensing technologies and applications and meet the aims, scope and high standards of this journal [1–4]. This year, the winners were chosen by the Section Editor-in-Chiefs of Sensors from among all the papers published in 2011 to track citations. Reviews and full research articles were considered separately. We gladly announce that the following eight papers were awarded the Sensors Best Paper Award in 2015

Analysis of the interaction of influenza virus polymerase complex with human cell factors

12 pages, 4 figures.-- PMID: 18491320 [PubMed].-- Supplementary information (Suppl. figure S1, 2 pages) available at: http://www.wiley-vch.de/contents/jc_2120/2008/pro200700508_s.pdfThe influenza virus polymerase is formed by the PB1, PB2 and PA subunits and is required for virus transcription and replication in the nucleus of infected cells. Here we present the characterisation of the complexes formed intracellularly by the influenza polymerase in human cells. The virus polymerase was expressed by cotransfection of the polymerase subunits cDNAs, one of which fused to the tandem-affinity purification (TAP) tag. The intracellular complexes were purified by the TAP approach, which involves IgG-Sepharose and calmodulin-agarose chromatography, under very mild conditions. The purified complexes contained the heterotrimeric polymerase and a series of associated proteins that were not apparent in purifications of untagged polymerase used as a control. Several influenza polymerase-associated proteins were identified by MALDI-MS and their presence in purified polymerase-containing complexes were verified by Western blot. Their relevance for influenza infection was established by colocalisation with virus ribonucleoproteins in human infected cells. Most of the associated human factors were nuclear proteins involved in cellular RNA synthesis, modification and nucleo-cytoplasmic export, but some were cytosolic proteins involved in translation and transport. The interactions recognised in this proteomic approach suggest that the influenza polymerase might be involved in steps of the infection cycle other than RNA replication and transcription.N. J. was a fellow from Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. E. T. was a fellow from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. P. G. was a fellow from Gobierno Vasco. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia) (grant BFU2004-491), the VIRHOST Program financed by Comunidad de Madrid, European Vigilance Network for the Management of Antiviral Drug Resistance (VIRGIL) and the FLUPOL strep project (SP5B-CT-2007-044263).Peer reviewe

Cross-Inhibition of Norrin and TGF-beta Signaling Modulates Development of Retinal and Choroidal Vasculature

PURPOSE. Norrin is essential for the formation of the retinal vasculature during development and promotes its repair after damage via activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Since retinal TGF-beta signaling has essentially opposite effects on the retinal vasculature we investigated if and how Norrin inhibits TGF-beta signaling, and vice versa. METHODS. Eyes from transgenic mice with an overexpression of Norrin (beta Bl-Norrin) and/or active TGF-beta (beta B1-TGF-beta 1) in the lens were generated and analyzed by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL. Further on, protein as well as mRNA levels were investigated by Western blot analyses and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS. In beta B1-TGF-beta l mice, the lack of retinal vascular development and choriocapillaris maintenance was rescued when transgenic Norrin was additionally overexpressed in the eye. In addition, retinal Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and the levels of SMAD7, an inhibitor of the canonical TGF-beta pathway, were substantially suppressed in retinae of beta B1-TGF-beta 1 mice. In contrast, Norrin normalized Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and SMAD7 levels in double transgenic mice. Moreover, in retinae of beta B1-TGF-beta 1 mice, the amounts of phosphorylated SMAD3, a downstream mediator of TGF-beta signaling, were increased compared to those of beta B1-Norrin/ beta B1-TGF-beta 1 mice. In vitro, Norrin substantially reduced the TGF-beta-mediated induction of target genes, an effect that was blocked by Dickkopf-1, a specific inhibitor of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. CONCULSIONS. High amounts of TGF-beta in the eye cause a substantial reduction in the activity of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. This effect is inhibited in the presence of high amounts of Norrin, which further induce the expression of SMAD7 to inhibit TGF-beta signaling

Дослідження структури порушених відкритою розробкою земель й пошук шляхів вдосконалення рекультивації залишкових виробок кар'єрів

Стаття присвячена дослідженням структури порушених земель, на ділянках з видобутку корисних копалин відкритим способом. Наведено площі порушень земель при розробці основних видів корисних копалин. Проаналізовано ризики, що виникають із несвоєчасною рекультивацією земель гірничого відводу, а також від покинутих гірничих виробок старих кар'єрів. Паралельно розглянуті обсяги відходів гірничого виробництва та їх повторне використання в якості заповнювача для залишкових вироблених просторів кар'єрів.The article is devoted to the research of land violation indicators at the extraction of minerals by surface mining method. Data gives about the land violations area at the mining key minerals. Ana-lyzed the risks from the not-on-time reclamation of the mining clam and abandoned excavations of the old quarries. In parallel considered the volumes of mining wastes and their reuse as aggregate for filling residual spaces of surface mines.Статья посвящена исследованиям площадей нарушения земель, связанных с добычей полезных ископаемых открытым способом. Приведены площади нарушений земель при разработке основных видов полезных ископаемых. Проанализированы риски, представляемые несвоевременной рекультивацией земель горного отвода, а также заброшенными горными выработками старых карьеров. Параллельно рассмотрены объемы отходов горного производства и их повторное использование в качестве заполнителя для остаточных выработанных пространств карьеров

Vitalitätserfassung von Fichten mittels Fernerkundung

Die Vitalität vieler Baumarten ist durch den Klimawandel und die damit einhergehenden Wetteränderungen stark gefährdet. Der Bedarf an kostengünstigen Methoden zum großfl ächigen Monitoring von Waldfl ächen ist deshalb von großer Bedeutung. Im Projekt VitTree der Bayerischen Forstverwaltung wurde von einem Projektteam aus BOKU Wien, DLR, BaySF, ÖBf und LWF untersucht, in welchem Ausmaß und ab welchem Zeitpunkt Vitalitätsveränderungen von Bäumen mithilfe von Fernerkundungsdaten erfasst werden können. Das Ziel dieser neuen Methoden ist eine möglichst frühzeitige Erkennung von Veränderungen, idealerweise noch bevor diese für das menschliche Auge im Gelände erkennbar sin

Comparison of PET/CT-based eligibility according to VISION and TheraP trial criteria in end-stage prostate cancer patients undergoing radioligand therapy

Background Two randomized clinical trials demonstrated the efficacy of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radioligand therapy (PSMA RLT) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). While the VISION trial used criteria within PSMA PET/CT for inclusion, the TheraP trial used dual tracer imaging including FDG PET/CT. Therefore, we investigated whether the application of the VISION criteria leads to a benefit in overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) for men with mCRPC after PSMA RLT. Methods Thirty-five men with mCRPC who had received PSMA RLT as a last-line option and who had undergone pretherapeutic imaging with FDG and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA I&T or [18F]PSMA-1007 were studied. Therapeutic eligibility was retrospectively evaluated using the VISION and TheraP study criteria. Results 26 of 35 (74%) treated patients fulfilled the VISION criteria (= VISION+) and only 17 of 35 (49%) fulfilled the TheraP criteria (= TheraP+). Significantly reduced OS and PFS after PSMA RLT was observed in patients rated VISION− compared to VISION+ (OS: VISION−: 3 vs. VISION+: 12 months, hazard ratio (HR) 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–9.1, p < 0.01; PFS: VISION−: 1 vs. VISION+: 5 months, HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0–7.8, p < 0.01). For patients rated TheraP−, no significant difference in OS but in PFS was observed compared to TheraP+ patients (OS: TheraP−: 5.5 vs. TheraP+: 11 months, HR 1.6, 95% CI 0.8–3.3, p = 0.2; PFS: TheraP−: 1 vs. TheraP+: 6 months, HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0–4.5, p < 0.01). Conclusion Retrospective application of the inclusion criteria of the VISION study leads to a benefit in OS and PFS after PSMA RL, whereas TheraP criteria appear to be too strict in patients with end-stage prostate cancer. Thus, performing PSMA PET/CT including a contrast-enhanced CT as proposed in the VISION trial might be sufficient for treatment eligibility of end-stage prostate cancer patients