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Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach for transforming and reorienting agricultural systems to support food security under the new realities of climate change. Widespread changes in rainfall and temperature patterns threaten agricultural production and increase the vulnerability of people dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods, which includes most of the world's poor. Climate change disrupts food markets, posing population-wide risks to food supply. Threats can be reduced by increasing the adaptive capacity of farmers as well as increasing resilience and resource use efficiency in agricultural production systems. CSA promotes coordinated actions by farmers, researchers, private sector, civil society and policymakers towards climate-resilient pathways through four main action areas: (1) building evidence; (2) increasing local institutional effectiveness; (3) fostering coherence between climate and agricultural policies; and (4) linking climate and agricultural financing. CSA differs from 'business-as-usual' approaches by emphasizing the capacity to implement flexible, context-specific solutions, supported by innovative policy and financing actions.

Der vorliegende Beitrag setzt sich mit der Zusammenarbeit innerhalb eines Netzwerkes auseinander und betrachtet insbesondere die Rolle der Zusammenarbeit für die Implementation schulischer Innovationen. Untersuchungsgegenstand der explorativen Studie ist ein Netzwerk bestehend aus einzelnen Lernpartnerschaften zwischen Schulen und Unternehmen. Anhand von zwölf leitfadengestützten Interviews mit Personen aus vier Kooperationen innerhalb des Netzwerkes wird untersucht, 1) durch welche Kriterien die Qualität der Zusammenarbeit innerhalb des Netzwerkes beschrieben werden kann, 2) welche hemmenden und fördernden Bedingungen die Kooperation beeinflussen und 3) in welchem Zusammenhang die Qualität der Zusammenarbeit im Netzwerk mit der Implementation schulischer Innovationen steht. Befunde der Untersuchung geben Hinweise darauf, dass die Zusammenarbeit in Netzwerken als Instrument bei der Implementation von Innovationen angesehen werden kann und liefern mögliche Ansatzpunkte für die weiterführende Kooperations- und Netzwerkforschung. This paper addresses the co-operation within networks and its potential function for the implementation of innovations at schools. Basis of this explorative analysis are 12 guided interviews with actors of four co-operations within the network—so called “Learning Partnerships” between teachers and employees of different enterprises. Research questions that we seek to answer are (1) which criteria are helpful to describe the quality of co-operation within a network, (2) which conditions are supporting or debilitating for co-operations, and (3) is there a correlation between the quality of co-operation in a network and the implementation of an innovation in school contexts. Results indicate that co-operation in networks can be seen as implementation supporting instrument. Furthermore, our findings can be used as possible starting points for further research on co-operation and networks.

Sustainable urban mobility planning, a strategic planning concept promoted by the European Commission, considers the engagement of citizens and stakeholders throughout the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) development process as one of the key elements. Involving communities in planning is a fundamental duty of local authorities to improve decision-making and is also a requirement stipulated by EU directives and international conventions. This paper looks at academic research on participation in sustainable urban mobility planning, citizen and stakeholder engagement practices in European cities, as well as the challenges of collaborative planning and how to overcome these. The authors make the case that although some participation questions remain unsolved to date, citizen and stakeholder engagement are a precondition for sustainable urban mobility planning.

Phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (EC 4.3.1.5) is a key enzyme in the secondary metabolism of higher plants catalyzing the non‐oxidative conversion of L‐phenylalanine into trans‐cinnamate. The nucleotide sequence of its 2.2 kb gene was designed for expression in Escherichia coliand synthesized in a single reaction from 108 oligonucleotides using assembly PCR. After amplification, the gene was cloned into the expression vector pT7‐7 and coexpressed with the chaperone HSP‐60 system. The expression system yielded 70 mg of fully active enzyme per liter culture.

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5) is a key enzyme in the secondary metabolism of higher plants catalyzing the non-oxidative conversion of L-phenylalanine into trans-cinnamate. The nucleotide sequence of its 2.2 kb gene was designed for expression in Escherichia coliand synthesized in a single reaction from 108 oligonucleotides using assembly PCR. After amplification, the gene was cloned into the expression vector pT7-7 and coexpressed with the chaperone HSP-60 system. The expression system yielded 70 mg of fully active enzyme per liter culture.

Antigens A, B, H, Lea, and Leb were demonstrated in the tracheal glands of 15 Lewis-positive secretors and 15 nonsecretors by the indirect immunoperoxidase technique. The detection of group-specific ABH antigens in mucous epithelium and intraductal secretory fluid was dependent on the secretor character. Whereas determination of secretor character was sometimes unreliable with anti-A and anti-B, the findings obtained by additional labeling with UEA 1 were consistently correct. The secretors showed minimal gland labeling with anti-Lea and intensive labeling with anti-Leb; the nonsecretors, intensive Lea labeling and weaker or absent Leb labeling. Consequently, the determination of secretor character by ABH labeling could be verified by the behavior of the Lewis antigens. Since both morphologic structures and epithelial antigens are highly resistant to putrefaction, ABO and secretor character can also be diagnosed in badly decomposed tracheal wall specimens.

The long term efficacy of class I antiarrhythmic drugs and of amiodarone was investigated in 34 patients with severe organic heart disease accompanied by frequent complex ventricular arrhythmias. All patients had undergone cardiac catheterisation which included coronary angiography, and each patient underwent a short and a long term study phase. During the short term study 6 class I antiarrhythmic agents were administered orally in a randomised. single-blind fashion. The drugs investigated were disopyramide. flecainide, mexiletine, prajmalium, propafenon and tocainide. The response was judged to be effective when there was a 90% reduction of couplets and a 100% reduction of salvos. For long term treatment the patient was given one of the agents found to be effective in the short term testing. Holier monitoring was performed after 1 week, and 1, 3 and 6 months. If the drug administered initially was later found to be ineffective, the patient was given another effective class I agent. If during the short term study or the follow-up phase there was no positive response to any class I agent, the patient was given amiodarone. In 78% of the patients, one or more of the class I agents administered short term was effective. The percentage of effectively treated patients after 1 week was 56%, and was 28. 14, and 9% after 1, 3, and 6 months’ treatment, respectively. In amiodarone-treated patients there was an effective response rate of 40% after 10 days, 50% after I month and 70% after 3 and 6 months.

Irrespective of the method used for noninvasive bone mass determination, data comparison between different centers is a major problem as significant interunit variation may occur. We, therefore, have employed mobile densitometry units to reduce interunit variability in two large epidemiologic studies in Germany. Two cars were equipped with either two dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) instruments (QDR 1000 Hologic, USA) (car I) or a special purposed scanner for peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) (XCT 900, Stratec, FRG) (car II). The cars were moved across Germany 11,090 km and 1651 km during the studies over a period of 30 and 7 months, respectively. Precision in vitro was determined using hydroxyapatite phantoms. Forty-eight patients underwent duplicate measurements at the lumbar spine (n=22) and hip (n=26) for assessing reproducibility in vivo. Between the two series of scans, the car was moved 63 km. Long-term precision in vitro of the QDR 1000 instruments were 0.41% and 0.59% for BMD with no evidence of machine drift (rate of change per year 0.04% and 0.05%, respectively). Short-term reproductibility in vivo showed a coefficient of variation (cv) of 1.02% for spinal BMD (L2–L4) and 1.72% for femoral neck. Long-term precision in vitro of the pQCT scanner was 0.9%. Our study shows precision in vivo and in vitro and stability of the mobile densitometers similar to that achieved with stationary equipment. In conclusion, mobile densitometry may become a useful tool not only for epidemiologic surveys and clinical trials but also for routine evaluation in less densely populated areas.

This study compared the efficacy and safety of sotalol and quinidine for conversion and prevention of recurrent atrial fibrillation.

To improve the clinical value of ambulatory Holter electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring as a tool of antiarrhythmic therapy control, a new statistical model was developed. In a patient group at increased risk of sudden cardiac death, the spontaneous variability of ventricular arrhythmias was assessed, with simultaneous consideration of single ventricular premature complexes, couplets and salvos. The study included 100 patients who suffered from coronary heart disease or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and for whom >30 ventricular premature complexes/h and couplets had been demonstrated on the last Holter ECG before the study. Between 3 and 12 Holter recordings were made for each patient in a drug-free state; the mean follow-up period was 260 days (maximum 1,403). The mean hourly values of the ectopic events (EE) were assessed separately for ventricular premature complexes, couplets and salvos. The spontaneous variability (SY) was calculated for single ventricular premature complexes, couplets and salvos as SV = log (EEday 2+ 0.01/EEday 1+ 0.01) and linked in one, two and three dimensions.

In contrast to blood serology, which usually fails in specimens more than a few days old, immunohistochemistry (PAP technique) provided reliable information on the blood group (AB0) and, in most cases, also the secretor character of 23 kidney specimens stored for months at room temperature. Better results were obtained with monoclonal antibodies than with human sera. In the late stages of decomposition, blood group diagnosis is based on the more decomposition-resistant antigens of the collecting tubular epithelium (in secretors) and the endothelia of the arteriolae medullares rectae and not on the identification of erythrocytic antigens. In addition, a decomposition-resistant epithelial antigen in the distal convoluted tubules (Tc II) is unmasked by autolysis or heterolysis. “Blood group” antigens were frequently detected in bacteria and fungi. These antigens, however, were clearly distinguishable from blood group characters of the tissue. A transient, weak, false-positive reaction with monoclonal anti-B appeared in decomposed Tc II epithelia.

Summary The case of a patient with Mobitz type II AV-block is presented who sufferend from recurrent dizzy spells and syncopal attacks. These episodes were due to intermittent asystoles lasting for 3–17 seconds, and it could be shown that they were triggered by two or more successive premature atrial contractions The observation that there were no subsidiary escape beats or rhythms during the asystolic intervals and the ECG pattern for the conducted beats (RBBB and LAH) suggest an intraventricular (trifascicular) level of AV-block. The exact analysis of the asystolic pauses makes it likely that these were initiated by the penetration of the premature atrial impulses into the left posterior subdivision of the left bundle (concealed conduction). The present case demonstrates the fact that premature atrial contractions may produce prolonged asystolic attcks in patients with advanced intraventricular conduction disturbances.

Summary The Wenckebach type of conduction disturbbance occurs frequently under physiological as well as pathological conditions. It is not restricted to the AV node but can take place in any part of the conducting system, such as the sino-atrial region and the His-Purkinje system. It is also to be found in exit blocks of ectopic rhythms. The detailed knowledge of the Wenckebach phenomenon is essential for the interpretation of numerous complex cardiac arrhythmias.

Zusammenfassung Die Wirkung von 2,6-Bis(diäthanolamino)-4,8-dipiperidino-pyrimido(5,4-d)pyrimidin (Persantin) auf die Coronardurchblutung sowie die Sauerstoff- und Substratversorgung des menschlichen Herzens wurde an insgesamt 38 Patienten im Rahmen diagnostischer Herzkatheterisationen untersucht.

Es wird über eine Art der Auswertung elektromyographischer Potentiale berichtet, bei der sowohl die Aktionspotentialdauer als auch die Phasenzahl erfaßt wird. Durch Division der letzteren durch die erstere ergibt sich der „Phasenquotient“, dessen Verhalten im Normalfall, bei „Myositis“, Progressiver Muskeldystrophie, leichten und schweren neurogenen Erkrankungen untersucht wird. Es ergibt sich, daß der Phasenquotient bei der „Myositis“ geringgradig, bei Progressiver Muskeldystrophie deutlicher erniedrigt ist und dadurch eine elektromyographische Unterscheidung dieser beiden Krankheitsbüder möglich wird. Bei neurogenen Erkrankungen ist er regelmäßig erhöht und kann in leichten Fällen oft der einzige elektromyographische Hinweis sein, der die Diagnose einer neurogenen Störung erlaubt.

QT dispersion (QTD;QTmax-QTmin) is considered to reflect inhomogeneous ventricular recovery. In pts with atrial fibrillation (AF), however, the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on QTD have not been systematically evaluated particularly with respect to their association with drug-induced proarrhythmia. Thus, QTD was assessed in a prospective, randomized trial including 50 pts with AF receiving quinidine (Q; 1000mg/day) or sotalol (S;320mg/day) in an attempt to restore sinus rhythm (SRI. Precordial QTD was measured by means of a digitizer-based software before and during drug therapy.