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Background
We explore the association between bone T-scores, used in osteoporosis diagnosis, and functional status since we hypothesized that bone health can impact elderly functional status and indirectly independence.
Methods
In a cross-sectional study (2005–2006) on community dwelling elderly (> = 75 years) from Herne, Germany we measured bone T-scores with Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry, and functional status indexed by five geriatric tests: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, test of dementia, geriatric depression score and the timed-up-and-go test, and two pooled indexes: raw and standardized. Generalized linear regression was used to determine the relationship between T-scores and functional status.
Results
From 3243 addresses, only 632 (19%) completed a clinical visit, of which only 440 (male∶female, 243∶197) could be included in analysis. T-scores (−0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.1–0.9) predicted activities of daily living (95.3 CI, 94.5–96.2), instrumental activities of daily living (7.3 CI, 94.5–96.2), and timed-up-and-go test (10.7 CI, 10.0–11.3) (P< = 0.05). Pooled data showed that a unit improvement in T-score improved standardized pooled functional status (15 CI, 14.7–15.3) by 0.41 and the raw (99.4 CI, 97.8–101.0) by 2.27 units. These results were limited due to pooling of different scoring directions, selection bias, and a need to follow-up with evidence testing.
Conclusions
T-scores associated with lower functional status in community-dwelling elderly. Regular screening of osteoporosis as a preventive strategy might help maintain life quality with aging.
During recent decades, many studies have shown that the successful restoration of species-rich grasslands is often seed-limited because of depleted seed banks and limited seed dispersal in modern fragmented landscapes. In Europe, commercial seed mixtures, which are widely used for restoration measures, mostly consist of species and varieties of non-local provenance. The regional biodiversity of a given landscape, however, can be preserved only when seeds or plants of local provenance are used in restoration projects. Furthermore, the transfer of suitable target species of local provenance can strongly enhance restoration success.
We review and evaluate the success of currently used near-natural methods for the introduction of target plant species (e.g. seeding of site-specific seed mixtures, transfer of fresh seed-containing hay, vacuum harvesting, transfer of turves or seed-containing soil) on restoration sites, ranging from dry and mesic meadows to floodplain grasslands and fens. Own data combined with literature findings show species establishment rates during the initial phase as well as the persistence of target species during long-term vegetation development on restoration sites.
In conclusion, our review indicates that seed limitation can be overcome successfully by most of the reviewed measures for species introduction. The establishment of species-rich grasslands is most successful when seeds, seed-containing plant material or soil are spread on bare soil of ex-arable fields after tilling or topsoil removal, or on raw soils, e.g. in mined areas. In species-poor grasslands without soil disturbance and on older ex-arable fields with dense weed vegetation, final transfer rates were the lowest. For future restoration projects, suitable measures have to be chosen carefully from case to case as they differ considerably in costs and logistic effort. Long-term prospects for restored grassland are especially good when management can be incorporated in agricultural systems.
The aim of this study is to assess the development of plant species diversity and species composition
over a seven-year period in two calcareous grasslands abandoned for nearly 20 years and to find out
which factors influence vegetation dynamics. In the Abava River valley, Latvia, different calcareous
grasslands were studied, one on the south-west facing slope and another on the north-east facing slope.
Vegetation analyses on permanent plots showed that dry calcareous grasslands can be resistant to deterioration for a long period of time – succession was slower than reported in many cases for Central and
Western Europe. None of the studied communities showed a decrease neither in total species number
recorded per community nor in average species richness per plot. Vascular plant species richness even
increased by 3–4 species per 1-m² plot in the grassland on the south-west facing slope. An unexpected
result of the research was that Calamagrostis epigeios did not expand in this grassland. This fact can be
explained by the influence of disturbances (drought, tree cutting) and local differences in soil parameters
and topography. In parts of the north-east exposed grassland, with deeper soils and better water availability, species diversity (Shannon index) decreased significantly in areas overgrown by Aegopodium
podagraria.
Der Bericht stützt sich auf Informationen, die von Zertifizierungsstellen und Experten in den einzelnen Ländern durch per E-Mail übermittelte Fragebögen und anschließende Telefoninterviews eingeholt wurden.
Es gibt große Unterschiede zwischen den Ländern in Bezug auf die Zertifizierung der (öffentlichen) Lebensmittelausgabe. In Dänemark gibt es ein freiwilliges System mit einer Bronze-, Silber- und Goldmedaille, die für zunehmende Mengen an Bio-Lebensmitteln vergeben werden. In Finnland gibt es keine obligatorische Zertifizierung der öffentlichen Bio-Lebensmittelausgabe, aber ein gut entwickeltes freiwilliges System mit fünf Stufen, die einen steigenden Anteil an Bio-Lebensmitteln vorsehen. Das System umfasst Beratung und ein Zertifikat, das bei der Vermarktung verwendet werden kann. In Italien ist die Zertifizierung nicht verpflichtend, aber es laufen Aktivitäten zur Einführung eines freiwilligen oder verpflichtenden Systems. In Norwegen und Deutschland ist die Zertifizierung der öffentlichen Bio-Lebensmittelausgabe obligatorisch.
Die befragten italienischen Experten begrüßten künftige gemeinsame Standards in diesem Bereich, während die anderen Länder mit besser etablierten Systemen keinen Änderungsbedarf sahen. In Bezug auf die Schulverpflegung wird die Zertifizierung von Bio-Lebensmitteln einen gewissen Mehraufwand bedeuten. Eine Zertifizierung wird jedoch dazu beitragen, das Vertrauen der Menschen in die Verpflegungsdienste zu stärken, die Nutzer zu informieren und so die Bemühungen zur Steigerung des Verbrauchs von Bio-Lebensmitteln zu vermitteln.
In the past few years, studies have been carried out to record and analyse the consumer behaviour of manual dishwashing. Manual dishwashing in households is performed in many ways that influence the use of resources. Furthermore, knowledge has been gained on the basis of experiments on how to optimize the use of resources in manual dishwashing. Optimization here means achieving the best possible cleaning performance with a minimum input of resources. This experimental knowledge, combined with the experience of everyday life, was transferred into Best Practice Tips.
The aim of this study is to verify whether it is possible to save resources while applying these Best Practice Tips in comparison with the consumers' previous behaviour.
In a laboratory study, 53 consumers from Europe (23 Germans, 30 other Europeans) were asked to apply the Best Practice Tips while washing up 12 place settings of dishes. The data gained were compared with that of previous studies recording consumers' everyday behaviour while washing up the same amount of dishes. The sample consisted of 113 European consumers and the sample of the second study consisted of 60 Europeans.
On average, the 53 test participants applying the Best Practice Tips used around 60% less water, 70% less energy and 30% less detergent compared with the average everyday behaviour the other subjects used. Additionally, they achieved a slightly better cleaning result. An evaluation questionnaire showed that the Best Practice Tips were, in general, highly accepted; however, some concerns were given about their exact application in everyday life. Because of the wide variation of washing-up habits and resource consumption among individuals, the confidence intervals of the studies are rather large. The results should therefore be seen as tendencies on how resource savings are possible when people are trained how to optimize resources in manual dishwashing. Nevertheless, this study should be the basis for further ones in which the learning is verified in everyday life and over a longer period of time.
Comparison of variable liming strategies in organic farming systems using online pH-measurements
(2011)
In organic farming, soil pH is one of the most important soil characteristics affecting nutrient availability, soil microbial activity and plant growth. Using the soil pH mapping sensor system Veris MSP, detailed information on in-field variability of soil pH can be obtained enabling spatial variable lime application. Scenario calculations for an organically managed field in Germany reveal that compared with the standard farm practice (i.e. uniform liming rate) variable lime application does not lead to higher costs while soil pH is optimized in different field zones resulting in increased crop productivity. Using two different lime qualities increases liming costs moderately but gives farmers the chance to increase pH quickly in extreme low pH areas.
15 δ N signals in plant and soil material integrate over a number of biogeochemical processes
related to nitrogen (N) and therefore provide information on net effects of multiple
processes on N dynamics. In general little is known in many grassland restoration projects
on soil–plant N dynamics in relation to the restoration treatments. In particular, 15 δ N signals
may be a useful tool to assess whether abiotic restoration treatments have produced the
desired result. In this study we used the range of abiotic and biotic conditions provided
by a restoration experiment to assess to whether the restoration treatments and/or plant
functional identity and legume neighborhood affected plant 15 δ N signals. The restoration
treatments consisted of hay transfer and topsoil removal, thus representing increasing
restoration effort, from no restoration measures, through biotic manipulation to major
abiotic manipulation. We measured 15 δ N and %N in six different plant species (two nonlegumes and four legumes) across the restoration treatments. We found that restoration
treatments were clearly reflected in 15 δ N of the non-legume species, with very depleted
15 δ N associated with low soil N, and our results suggest this may be linked to uptake of
ammonium (rather than nitrate). The two non-legume species differed considerably in their
15 δ N signals, which may be related to the two species forming different kinds of mycorrhizal
symbioses. Plant 15 δ N signals could clearly separate legumes from non-legumes, but our
results did not allow for an assessment of legume neighborhood effects on non-legume
15 δ N signals. We discuss our results in the light of what the 15 δ N signals may be telling
us about plant–soil N dynamics and their potential value as an indicator for N dynamics in
restoration.
The biennial plant Gentianella bohemica is a subendemic of the Bohemian Massif, where it occurs in seminatural grasslands. It has become rare in recent decades as a result of profound changes in land use. Using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) fingerprint data, we investigated the genetic structure within and among populations of G. bohemica in Bavaria, the Czech Republic, and the Austrian border region. The aim of our study was (1) to analyze the genetic structure among populations and to discuss these findings in the context of present and historical patterns of connectivity and isolation of populations, (2) to analyze genetic structure among consecutive generations (cohorts of two consecutive years), and (3) to investigate relationships between intrapopulational diversity and effective population size (Ne) as well as plant traits. (1) The German populations were strongly isolated from each other (pairwise FST= 0.29–0.60) and from all other populations (FST= 0.24–0.49). We found a pattern of near panmixis among the latter (FST= 0.15–0.35) with geographical distance explaining only 8% of the genetic variance. These results were congruent with a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and analysis using STRUCTURE to identify genetically coherent groups. These findings are in line with the strong physical barrier and historical constraints, resulting in separation of the German populations from the others. (2) We found pronounced genetic differences between consecutive cohorts of the German populations (pairwise FST= 0.23 and 0.31), which can be explained by local population history (land use, disturbance). (3) Genetic diversity within populations (Shannon index, HSh) was significantly correlated with Ne (RS= 0.733) and reflected a loss of diversity due to several demographic bottlenecks. Overall, we found that the genetic structure in G. bohemica is strongly influenced by historical periods of high connectivity and isolation as well as by marked demographic fluctuations in declining populations.
After foundation of the Wadden Sea National Park, grazing and artificial drainage was ceased or reduced on large areas of the salt marshes at the Schleswig-Holstein mainland coast (Northern Germany). The effect of grazing cessation versus intensive and moderate grazing on vegetation diversity was studied on small (plant species richness on plots between 0.01 and 100 m2) and large scale (vegetation type richness per hectare) over 18 to 20 years by analysing data from long-term monitoring programs. Plant species richness and vegetation type richness increased strongly over time in all management regimes, because grazing-sensitive species increased first in ungrazed marshes and later dispersed to and established in intensively grazed marshes. Dominance of the tall, late-successional grass Elymus athericus on 7% to 52% of all moderately and ungrazed (primarily high marsh) plots led to a decrease in species richness. After 18 to 20 years, species richness was highest in moderately and intensively grazed high marshes. Differences were significant only on small plots of up to 4 m2. On the large scale, vegetation type richness in the low marsh was higher without grazing, while no differences were found in the high marsh. Our results indicate that grazing effects differ between spatial scales and that different spatial scales have to be considered for monitoring and evaluation of vegetation diversity in salt marshes. To conserve vegetation diversity on all scales, a large-scale mosaic of different management regimes should be maintained.
A floodplain-restoration project along the Danube between Neuburg and Ingolstadt (Germany) aims to bring back water and sediment dynamic to the floodplain. The accompanied long-term monitoring has to document the changes in biodiversity related to this new dynamics. Considerations on and results of the vegetation monitoring concept are documented in this paper. In a habitat rich ecosystem like a floodplain different habitats (alluvial forest, semi-aquatic/aquatic sites) have different demands on the sampling methods.
Therefore, different monitoring designs (preferential, random, systematic, stratified random and transect sampling) are discussed and tested for their use in different habitat types of the floodplain. A stratified random sampling is chosen for the alluvial forest stands, as it guarantees an equal distribution of the monitoring plots along the main driving factors, i.e. influence of water. The parameters distance to barrage, ecological flooding, height above thalweg and distance to the new floodplain river are used for stratifying and the plots are placed randomly into these strata, resulting in 117 permanent plots. Due to small changes at the semi-aquatic/aquatic sites a transect sampling was chosen. Further, a rough stratification (channel bed, river bank adjacent floodplain) was implemented, which was only possible after the start of the restoration project. To capture the small-scale changes due to the restoration measures on the vegetation, 99 additional plots completed the transect sampling. We conclude that hetereogenous study areas need different monitoring approaches, but, later on, a joint analysis must be possible.
The relevance of cross-industry innovation has increased in recent decades with a growing number of inter-industry fields emerging on the borderline between formerly distinct industries. The aim of this paper is to analyse industry convergence in four probiotics innovation value chains based on the following indicators: cross-industry relationships along the innovation value chain as well as knowledge, technological, regulatory and competence convergence. In so doing, the study delivers a framework of indicators for scrutinising industry convergence processes. In order to identify industry convergence, we analyse companies in the converging area of foods and drugs based on products containing the four bacteria strains: Lactobacillus caseii DN 114001, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Hence, the commercial availability of the strains on the market serves as a selection criterion. Altogether 12 companies stemming from four industrial backgrounds, food and agriculture (5), pharmaceutics (5), chemistry (1) and personal care (1), as well as one research organisation are identified. Cross-industry relationships occur along the innovation value chains of the four strains. Clear signs of knowledge and technological convergence are found as companies are not only publishing and patenting in the usual area of their own industrial field but also in the area of other industrial fields. Companies with different industrial backgrounds show activities in obtaining health claims indicating regulatory convergence. Companies' competence bases seem to converge as companies with different industrial backgrounds are involved in acquisitions, licencing agreements and strategic alliances (competence convergence). We contribute to the existing body of literature by assessing industry convergence from an innovation value chain perspective with a set of indicators reflecting the intensity of industry convergence. This framework of indicators stemming from literature has not yet been used in a combined comprehensive analysis. Furthermore, we tried to show the characteristics of strategic types driving industry convergence in probiotics.
World-wide, the degradation and destruction of both natural and traditionally used semi-natural ecosystems is drastically increasing. Unfortunately, commercial seed mixtures, consisting of non-native species and genetically uniform cultivars, are widely used in grassland restoration, often with negative effects on biodiversity. Therefore, native species should be used in the ecological restoration of natural and semi-natural vegetation. This book compiles results from recent studies presented at a Special Session “Native seed production and use in restoration projects”, which was organised during the 8th European Conference on Ecological Restoration in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
The authors review the ecological and genetic aspects of seed propagation and species introduction both from a European and an American perspective, and discuss implications for the development of seed zones and for native seed production. Examples from different countries focus on native seed production in practice, and suggest different approaches for the certification of seed provenance.
Best practice examples from Europe and the United States are used to indicate the advantages of using native seeds for ecological restoration of grasslands, field margins and sagebrush steppe. Finally, this volume also provides guidelines for the successful implementation of restoration projects for local authorities, landscape planners and NGOs in order to bridge gaps between research and practice.
What determines ingredient awareness of consumers? : A study on ten functional food ingredients
(2014)
Given the importance of consumer awareness of functional food ingredients for healthy food choices, the aim of this study is to explore consumers’ ingredient awareness and the determinants which influence the awareness about functional food ingredients.
A sample of 200 German consumers was interviewed via CATI (computer aided telephone interview) during September 2011. The participants have been asked about their specific awareness regarding to ten functional food ingredients. Likewise, determinants like health status and health motivation have been assessed and their influence on the construct “consumers’ ingredient awareness” has been tested by employing structural equation modeling.
The study shows that consumers’ ingredient awareness varies throughout the sample. Overall it can be stated, that 19% of consumer awareness about functional food ingredients is explained through the described model based on the following predictors: age, educational level, health status, health motivation and information strategies. Among these factors, consumers’ health motivation seems to have the highest relevance to explain consumer awareness. But also the determinants information strategies as well as the education show a significant influence on consumers’ ingredient awareness. As health motivation shows the highest impact on consumers’ ingredient awareness this study underlines the importance of prevention propensity for healthy food choices.
Der Lebensmittel- und Landwirtschaftssektor wird in den nächsten Jahrzehnten vor zahlreichen Herausforderungen stehen, die sich aus den sich verändernden globalen Produktions- und Verbrauchsmustern ergeben, die derzeit mit einem hohen Ressourcenverbrauch einhergehen und ökologische und sozioökonomische Auswirkungen haben. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, die praktische Anwendbarkeit der Hot-Spot-Analyse-Methode im Kontext des Lieferkettenmanagements in Unternehmen zu veranschaulichen und zu bewerten.
Die HSA ist eine Methode zur Identifizierung sozialer und ökologischer Probleme entlang des gesamten Lebenszyklus eines Produkts. Besonderes Augenmerk wird auf eine maßgeschneiderte Umsetzung in der Wertschöpfungskette Rindfleisch von McDonald's Deutschland gelegt. Die HSA der Wertschöpfungskette Rindfleisch von McDonald's zeigt, dass die größten ökologischen Probleme in der Phase der Rohstoffgewinnung auftreten, während die größten sozialen Probleme in der Phase der Schlachtung identifiziert werden können. Abschließend zeigt der Beitrag Potenziale und Defizite einer solchen maßgeschneiderten Anwendung und wie die Ergebnisse im Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement eines Unternehmens umgesetzt werden können. in das Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement eines Unternehmens implementiert werden können.
The nutritional footprint – An assessment tool for health and environmental effects of nutrition
(2014)
Aufgrund seiner starken Umweltauswirkungen gilt der Lebensmittelsektor durch Effekte in Produktion, Verarbeitung, Konsum und Entsorgung gemeinhin als ein wichtiges Handlungsfeld, soll eine gesellschaftliche Transformation in Richtung Nachhaltigkeit weiter vorangetrieben werden. Da Ernährungsgewohnheiten sowohl ökologische Auswirkungen induzieren als auch gesundheitliche Folgen für die Verbraucher haben, sind Konzepte gefragt, die ökologische mit gesundheitlichen Indikatoren kombinieren; diese sind jedoch bislang rar. Das vorgestellte Instrument des Nutritional Footprint greift diese Problemstellung auf und verbindet in einem innovativen Konzept jeweils vier Kernindikatoren beider Dimensionen. Mithilfe des Konzepts erhalten Verbraucher einen Überblick zu Umwelt- und Gesundheitswirkungen ihrer Ernährung. Unternehmen können wiederum interne Datensätze verwalten, Benchmarking betreiben und ihre externe Kommunikationsleistung erweitern.