Die Rotatorienfauna einiger Gewässer des Naturschutzgebietes „Heiliges Meer“ im Kreis Steinfurt

Die planktontische und die benthische Rotatorienfauna des NSG Heiliges Meer, Krs. Steinfurt, Nordrhein-Westfalen, wurde durch monatliche Beprobung von eutrophen, oligotrophen und dystrophen Gewässern zwischen Oktober 1999 und Oktober 2000 untersucht. Insgesamt konnten 195 Rädertierarten festgestellt werden, davon waren 166 Monogononta und 29 Bdelloidea.BetweenOctober 1999 and October 2000 the planctontic and benthic rotatoria of the nature reserve Heiliges Meer, North-Rhine-Westphalia, was investigated by monthly samples in eutrophic, oligotrophic and dystrophic waters. Totally we found 195 species of rotatoria, 166 Monogononta and 29 Bdelloidea resp

Direkte Bestimmung der zellulären Immunantwort gegen das Zytomegalievirus mittels ELISPOT bei seronegativen Personen

It is essential to identify donors who have not been infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in order to avoid transmission of HCMV to recipients of blood transfusions or organ transplants. In the present study, we tested the reliability of seronegativity as an indicator for the lack of HCMV exposure in healthy human blood donors. Eighty-two HCMV seronegative individuals were identified, and their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were tested in ImmunoSpot® assays for the presence of HCMV-specific T- and B-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were tested in ImmunoSpot® assays for the presence of HCMV-specific T- and B-memory lymphocytes. Eighty-two percent (67 of 82) of these HCMV seronegative individuals featured at least one memory cell that was lineage specific for HCMV, with the majority of these subjects possessing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as well as B cells, providing three independent lines of evidence for having developed immunity to HCMV. Only 15 of these 82 donors (18%) showed neither T- nor B-cell memory to HCMV, consistent with immunological naïveté to the virus. The data suggest that measurements of serum antibodies frequently fail to reveal HCMV exposure in humans, which may be better identified by direct detection of HCMV-specific memory lymphocytes.Es ist wichtig, Spender zu identifizieren, die nicht mit dem humanen Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infiziert sind, um eine Übertragung des HCMV auf Empfänger von Bluttransfusionen oder Organtransplantationen zu vermeiden. In der vorliegenden Studie haben wir die Zuverlässigkeit der Seronegativität als Indikator für das Fehlen einer HCMV-Exposition bei gesunden menschlichen Blutspendern. Zweiundachtzig HCMV-seronegative Personen wurden identifiziert, und ihre peripheren peripheren mononukleären Blutzellen (PBMC) wurden in ImmunoSpot®-Tests auf das Vorhandensein von HCMV-spezifische mononukleare T- und B-Blutzellen (PBMC) wurden in ImmunoSpot® Assays auf das Vorhandensein von HCMV-spezifischen T- und B-Gedächtnis-Lymphozyten getestet. Zweiundachtzig Prozent (67 von 82) dieser HCMV-seronegativen Personen wiesen mindestens eine Gedächtniszelle auf, die die HCMV-spezifisch ist, wobei die Mehrheit dieser Personen CD4+ und CD8+ T-Zellen sowie B-Zellen, was drei unabhängige Beweise dafür liefert, dass sie Immunität gegen HCMV entwickelt haben. Nur 15 dieser 82 Spender (18 %) wiesen weder ein T- noch ein B-Zell-Gedächtnis für HCMV auf, was auf eine immunologische Naivität gegenüber dem Virus hindeutet. Die Daten legen nahe dass die Messung von Serumantikörpern eine HCMV-Exposition beim Menschen häufig nicht erkennen lässt, die durch den direkten Nachweis von HCMV-spezifischen Gedächtnislymphozyten besser erkannt werden kann

The Desirability of CSR Communication versus Greenhushing in the Hospitality Industry:The Customers’ Perspective

Recent literature describes “greenhushing” as the deliberate managerial undercommunicating of corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts for fear of negative customer opinions and responses. Based on social psychological theory of tourism motivation and cognitive dissonance theory, this research tries to seek evidence that justifies such a practice from the customers’ perspective. In study 1, focus groups reveal that hotels’ CSR communication and awareness creation for environmental issues are desired by consumers. In study 2, an online experiment uncovers that one-way and particularly two-way CSR communication lead to more favorable attitudes toward hotels’ CSR communication and lower intentions to behave unethically, compared with greenhushing. Perceived consumer effectiveness mediates the relationship between type of CSR communication and attitudes toward hotels’ CSR communication as well as intentions to behave unethically. Pro-environmental identity moderates the relationship. Taken together, our research provides little justification for greenhushing in a hospitality context from the customers’ perspective

Zur Verbreitung der Cladoceren in den Gewässern des Naturschutzgebietes „Heiliges Meer“, Kreis Steinfurt (Westfalen)

Von 1990 bis 2001 wurde die Cladocerenfauna der Gewässer des Naturschutzgebietes „Heiliges Meer“ (Westfalen) untersucht und das Ergebnis mit den Untersuchungen 1963 bis 1969 verglichen. Insgesamt wurden 53 Arten in den Seen, Weihern, Kolken und Tümpeln gefunden. Das sind sechs Arten mehr als bei früheren Untersuchungen; einige sind dort nur scheinbar neue Arten wegen taxonomischer Änderungen, und vier Arten wurden nicht wieder gefunden. Neue Zuwanderer sind Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia curvirostris, D. obtusa, D. parvula, Megafenestra aurita und die Hybride Daphnia hyalina x galeata (= D. x obscura)

The serious games ecosystem: Interdisciplinary and intercontextual praxis

This chapter will situate academia in relation to serious games commercial production and contextual adoption, and vice-versa. As a researcher it is critical to recognize that academic research of serious games does not occur in a vaccum. Direct partnerships between universities and commercial organizations are increasingly common, as well as between research institutes and the contexts that their serious games are deployed in. Commercial production of serious games and their increased adoption in non-commercial contexts will influence academic research through emerging impact pathways and funding opportunities. Adding further complexity is the emergence of commercial organizations that undertake their own research, and research institutes that have inhouse commercial arms. To conclude, we explore how these issues affect the individual researcher, and offer considerations for future academic and industry serious games projects

Suppression of motor sequence learning and execution through anodal cerebellar transcranial electrical stimulation

Cerebellum (CB) and primary motor cortex (M1) have been associated with motor learning, with different putative roles. Modulation of task performance through application of transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) to brain structures provides causal evidence for their engagement in the task. Studies evaluating and comparing TDCS to these structures have provided conflicting results, however, likely due to varying paradigms and stimulation parameters. Here we applied TDCS to CB and M1 within the same experimental design, to enable direct comparison of their roles in motor sequence learning. We examined the effects of anodal TDCS during motor sequence learning in 60 healthy participants, randomly allocated to CB-TDCS, M1-TDCS, or Sham stimulation groups during a serial reaction time task. Key to the design was an equal number of repeated and random sequences. Reaction times (RTs) to implicitly learned and random sequences were compared between groups using ANOVAs and post hoc t-tests. A speed–accuracy trade-off was excluded by analogous analysis of accuracy scores. An interaction was observed between whether responses were to learned or random sequences and the stimulation group. Post hoc analyses revealed a preferential slowing of RTs to implicitly learned sequences in the group receiving CB-TDCS. Our findings provide evidence that CB function can be modulated through transcranial application of a weak electrical current, that the CB and M1 cortex perform separable functions in the task, and that the CB plays a specific role in motor sequence learning during implicit motor sequence learning

Forty years of carabid beetle research in Europe - from taxonomy, biology, ecology and population studies to bioindication, habitat assessment and conservation

Volume: 100Start Page: 55End Page: 14

Sexually transmitted infections on the border between Suriname and French Guiana: A scoping review

Purpose: The Maroni basin -delineating the border between Suriname and French Guiana- presents sociocultural, geographical and economic circumstances that have been conducive to the circulation of sexually transmitted infections and to delays in diagnosis and care. Given the scarcity of published data, we aimed to describe different sexually transmitted infections along the Maroni and to gain a broader understanding of the epidemiologic situation. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the efforts to approach the problem of sexually transmitted infections in this complex border area. Temporal trends were plotted and crude numbers were divided by local population numbers. Results: For HIV, despite increasing testing efforts, most patients still present at the advanced HIV stage (median CD4 count at diagnosis is 1%). High risk HPV infection prevalence among women reaches 23.3%. The incidence of gonorrhea was 4.2 per 1,000 population aged 15-59. For chlamydiasis it was 3.4 per 1,000 population aged 15-59. For syphilis, the incidence was 2.5 per 1,000 population aged 15-59. Gonorrhea, chlamydiasis, hepatitis B detection increased over time with greater testing efforts and new diagnostic tests. Since the COVID-19 epidemic, congenital syphilis has dramatically increased in Saint Laurent du Maroni reaching 808 per 100,000 live births. Conclusion: Sexually transmitted infections seemed more prevalent in Saint Laurent du Maroni -the sole urban center-than in the remote villages along the Maroni. The syndromic approach and the heterogeneity of diagnostic platforms presumably overlook most infections in the region. Therefore, a concerted approach and a shared diagnostic upgrade with molecular diagnosis and rapid diagnostic tests seem necessary to reduce the burden of sexually transmitted infections on both sides of the Maroni. Congenital syphilis resulting from COVID-19 disruption of health services requires urgent attention