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Nature conservation in tropical developing countries is particularly challenging as the human population is highly dependent on natural resources. Several approaches, such as small-scale, community-based conservation projects aiming to generate benefits for the community, have been applied to alleviate poverty and at the same time promote conservation. In Madagascar such projects are considered a promising alternative as large-scale conservation often fails. However, few evaluations to date have analyzed both ecological and socioeconomic aspects. Our study focuses on the ecological and socioeconomic aspects of a small-scale, community-based conservation project, called “Park Bandro”, at Lake Alaotra, Madagascar. At first glance, the area seems to conserve its natural flora and fauna. However, closer examination shows that the park suffers from isolation, disconnectivity and illegal activities, while its management suffers from an unequal distribution of benefits and a lack of recognition at community level. We use our results to discuss where challenges arise and to draw recommendations which will be relevant beyond Lake Alaotra. We show that institutional settings can foster the detachment of local management associations from the community and facilitate elite capture. Existing conflicts of interests and a lack of transparency in administration hinders long-term success. The managerial framework needs to be revised and adapted to foster capacity building, providing a basis for negotiation with the community and the integration of different social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of emission formation mechanisms – in particular for aerosol driven mist formation – and also the development and testing of emission reduction measures for amine based post-combustion capture are essential parts of the joint development programme of BASF, Linde and RWE Power at the post-combustion capture pilot plant at Niederaussem. During more than 28,000 operating hours with BASF's innovative capture technology OASE blue ® several emission mitigation systems have been evaluated under real power plant conditions. A wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) is often regarded as a suitable option to avoid mist formation. In contrast to this, our investigations have shown that the WESP can cause aerosol formation by increasing the number concentration of ultrafine particles/droplets in the flue gas. Our results also indicate that this highly negative, voltage-dependent effect cannot be explained by a measurable increase of the SO 3 concentration downstream of the WESP at the entrance of the CO 2 absorber. Varying concentrations of SO 2 in the flue gas – which can react to SO 3 by ozone that is generated in the high-voltage field of the WESP – does not verifiably influence the entrainment. Low emission levels can be achieved by a special pre-treatment of the flue gas and by the so-called Dry Bed configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim of the study: Many hospitals have basic life support (BLS) training programmes, but the effects on the quality of chest compressions are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the no-flow fraction (NFF) during BLS provided by standard care nursing teams over a five-year observation period during which annual participation in the BLS training was mandatory. Methods: All healthcare professionals working at Dresden University Hospital were instructed in BLS and automated external defibrillator (AED) use according to the current European Resuscitation Council guidelines on an annual basis. After each cardiac arrest occurring on a standard care ward, AED data were analyzed. The time without chest compressions during the period without spontaneous circulation (i.e., the no-flow fraction) was calculated using thoracic impedance data. Results: For each year of the study period (2008–2012), a total of 1454, 1466, 1487, 1432, and 1388 health care professionals, respectively, participated in the training. The median no-flow fraction decreased significantly from 0.55 [0.42; 0.57] (median [25‰; 75‰]) in 2008 to 0.3 [0.28; 0.35] in 2012. Following revision of the BLS curriculum after publication of the 2010 guidelines, cardiac arrest was associated with a higher proportion of patients achieving ROSC (72% vs. 48%, P =0.025) but not a higher survival rate to hospital discharge (35% vs. 19%, P =0.073). Conclusion: The NFF during in-hospital cardiac resuscitation decreased after establishment of a mandatory annual BLS training for healthcare professionals. Following publication of the 2010 guidelines, more patients achieved ROSC after in-hospital cardiac arrest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The fact that reactive oxygen species (ROS) influences telomere-shortening and with it the onset of senescence in cells is well known, but a detailed model describing this correlation has not been proposed so far. Based on experimental data, that span a wide range of intracellular peroxide levels we formulate here a deterministic equation and a stochastic model that describe this connection, taking into account biological functions such as DNA damage and repair. Through simulations of population development under oxidative stress and dynamics of telomere length distributions, we show that a subset of uncapped telomeres is required for cell cycle arrest. Our model also supports a possible mechanism by which the generation of ROS as a consequence of telomere dysfunction leads to a positive feedback that accelerates telomere erosion. In this model, telomere-state and ROS would mutually influence each other. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Telomere shortening in cells with low intrinsic telomerase activity like fibroblasts is governed by various mechanisms including the so-called end-replication problem, end processing and oxidative DNA damage. To assess the impact of oxidative stress on telomere shortening rates, we compared telomere shortening rates measured in fibroblasts from two different donor species (human and sheep) under both pro- and antioxidative culture regimes. Over an almost 50-fold change in peroxide indicator dye fluorescence intensity, we found a continuous, exponential correlation between cellular oxidative stress levels and telomere shortening rates, which was independent of donor species and cell strain. This correlation suggests stress-mediated telomere DNA damage as an important determinant of telomere shortening. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Antibodies against advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are used for their immunohistological localization in tissues, for example in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or diabetes. Many monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies have been used, and their specificity is unknown in most cases. Increased radical production, leading to the formation of lipid-derived reactive carbonyl species, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), acrolein, and glyoxal, is a characteristic aspect of age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or diabetic polyneuropathy. These reactive carbonyl species are able to modify proteins, resulting in AGE related structures, termed “advanced lipoxidation products” (ALEs). In this study, the monoclonal carboxymethyllysine-specific antibody 4G9 and the polyclonal AGE-antibody K2189 were tested for their immunoreactivity towards these carbonyl-derived protein modifications. To investigate which carbonyl-modified amino acid side chains are specifically recognized by these antibodies, peptide membranes were incubated with glyoxal, MDA and acrolein. As model proteins, microtubuli associated protein tau (MAP-tau), β-amyloid, human serum albumin and chicken egg albumin were incubated likewise. It was found that both antibodies detected reaction products of these carbonyl compounds on lysine- and arginine residues and for the protein modification, it was found that some epitopes might not be detected. In conclusion, AGE-antibodies might not only detect sugar-derived AGEs but also structures derived from lipid peroxidation products (serving as markers of oxidative stress). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mechanical ventilation with variable tidal volumes (V-VCV) has the potential to improve lung function during general anesthesia. We tested the hypothesis that V-VCV compared to conventional volume-controlled ventilation (C-VCV) would improve intraoperative arterial oxygenation and respiratory system mechanics in patients undergoing thoracic surgery under one-lung ventilation (OLV). Patients were randomized to V-VCV (n = 39) or C-VCV (n = 39). During OLV tidal volume of 5 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW) was used. Both groups were ventilated with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H 2 O, inspiration to expiration ratio (I:E) of 1:1 (during OLV) and 1:2 during two-lung ventilation, the respiratory rate (RR) titrated to arterial pH, inspiratory peak-pressure ≤ 40 cm H 2 O and an inspiratory oxygen fraction of 1.0. Seventy-five out of 78 Patients completed the trial and were analyzed (dropouts were excluded). The partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO 2) 20 min after the start of OLV did not differ among groups (V-VCV: 25.8 ± 14.6 kPa vs C-VCV: 27.2 ± 15.3 kPa; mean difference [95% CI]: 1.3 [−8.2, 5.5], P = 0.700). Furthermore, intraoperative gas exchange, intraoperative adverse events, need for rescue maneuvers due to desaturation and hypercapnia, incidence of postoperative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary complications, and hospital free days at day 30 after surgery did not differ between groups. In thoracic surgery patients under OLV, V-VCV did not improve oxygenation or respiratory system mechanics compared to C-VCV. Ethical Committee: EK 420092019. Trial registration: at the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00022202 (16.06.2020). • During general anesthesia for thoracic surgery, mechanical ventilation with variable tidal volumes (V-VCV) may improve lung function compared to conventional volume-controlled ventilation (C-VCV). We investigated a total of 78 patients, who were randomly assigned to one-lung ventilation (OLV) with V-VCV (n = 39) or C-VCV (n = 39). • Twenty minutes after starting OLV, PaO 2 (primary endpoint) did not differ between groups. Furthermore, intraoperative gas exchange, intraoperative adverse events, need for rescue maneuvers due to desaturation and hypercapnia, incidence of postoperative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary complications, and hospital free days at day 30 after surgery did not differ between groups. • We conclude that in thoracic surgery patients under OLV, V-VCV does not improve lung function compared to C-VCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecoacoustics can increase time and cost efficiency in biodiversity assessments. • We applied four acoustic indices to recordings from an agricultural landscape in Madagascar. • Three acoustic indices showed systematic variation among predominant land-use types. • We found a positive correlation of acoustic indices and bird species richness. • High indices in structurally diverse vanilla agroforests suggest a high value for conservation. New technologies like ecoacoustic surveys promise time and cost efficiency for biodiversity assessments, serve as a basis for effective conservation policies, and are particularly appealing for remote and highly diverse tropical areas. Acoustic indices facilitate the analysis of large acoustic datasets but no consensus on their performance has been reached yet. We evaluated the efficacy of four acoustic indices (Acoustic Complexity Index, Acoustic Diversity Index, Acoustic Evenness Index, Acoustic Entropy) for sound data analysis and biodiversity assessments inside a national park and the agricultural mosaic landscape of north-eastern Madagascar, a global biodiversity hotspot. We used self-built sound recorders to continuously record soundscapes on 80 plots across seven land-use types (old-growth forest, forest fragment, forest–derived and fallow-derived vanilla agroforest, herbaceous and woody fallow, rice paddy) and compared index values between land–use types, assessed the correlation with bird species richness as measured by point counts, and related the acoustic indices to plot- and landscape-scale parameters. The Acoustic Diversity Index, Acoustic Evenness Index (inverse) and Acoustic Entropy were highest in old-growth forest and lowest for rice paddies and fallow land. Index values for structurally similar land-use types did not differ significantly from each other. The correlation of the three acoustic indices with bird species richness was strongest during daytime (R 2 ≥ 0.30). Differences in the index values were best explained by land-use type and vegetation density. Our results showed that all investigated indices except the Acoustic Complexity Index were suitable biodiversity indicators for a tropical, agricultural landscape. Soundscape diversity was positively affected by plot-scale vegetation structure, emphasizing the importance of forests and particularly old-growth forest for conservation. We demonstrated that acoustic indices and sound recordings are a useful tool for assessing biodiversity in tropical agricultural mosaic landscapes. To realize the full potential of ecoacoustics in conservation, sampling guidelines and user-friendly analysis packages will be key to facilitate a wider implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]