<p><em>Clostridium difficile</em> is a pathogen for both humans and animals and is often associated with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Recently, several human cases of <em>C. difficile</em>-infection with increased mortality and morbidity have been reported. In studies performed in different countries <em>C. difficile</em> has been found in meat. Therefore the question whether <em>C. difficile</em> can be a zoonotic agent has been raised. The aim of this study was to optimize a method for isolation of <em>C. difficile</em> from faeces. When <em>C. difficile</em> is isolated from animals that do not have diarrhea the sample must be cultivated in an enrichment broth. Parameters influencing the enrichment were tested such as enrichment before and after spore selection, enrichment time, alcohol and heat chock for spore selection and if the samples had to be centrifuged or not before cultivation on agar plates. Enrichment in broth before spore selection was better than after. Heat and alcohol chock showed similar results, therefore you can chose which method you want. Cultivation from the pellet after centrifugation of the sample was better than cultivating directly from the inoculated broth. When the sample had low concentration of bacteria long enrichment time, 7 days or more, was best. The next step will be isolation of <em>C. difficile</em> from food-producing animals and humans and the strains will then be compared to se if the same strain is found in humans and in animals, to se if <em>C. difficile</em>-infection can be a zoonoz.</p>

Clostridium difficile is a pathogen for both humans and animals and is often associated with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Recently, several human cases of C. difficile-infection with increased mortality and morbidity have been reported. In studies performed in different countries C. difficile has been found in meat. Therefore the question whether C. difficile can be a zoonotic agent has been raised. The aim of this study was to optimize a method for isolation of C. difficile from faeces. When C. difficile is isolated from animals that do not have diarrhea the sample must be cultivated in an enrichment broth. Parameters influencing the enrichment were tested such as enrichment before and after spore selection, enrichment time, alcohol and heat chock for spore selection and if the samples had to be centrifuged or not before cultivation on agar plates. Enrichment in broth before spore selection was better than after. Heat and alcohol chock showed similar results, therefore you can chose which method you want. Cultivation from the pellet after centrifugation of the sample was better than cultivating directly from the inoculated broth. When the sample had low concentration of bacteria long enrichment time, 7 days or more, was best. The next step will be isolation of C. difficile from food-producing animals and humans and the strains will then be compared to se if the same strain is found in humans and in animals, to se if C. difficile-infection can be a zoonoz.

Colombia differs from the rest of the world due to the amount of kidnappings and coca cultivation taking place. Using data between 1999-2008, this paper studies to what extent and in what direction there exists a causal relationship of coca cultivation on kidnappings. A study that has never been done in the previous published economic literature. A negative relationship would mean that policies implemented to reduce coca cultivation would also increase the number of kidnappings. A positive relationship, on the other hand would reduce the number of kidnappings. Using OLS-, fixed effects- and instrumental variable regressions, the results imply a negative relationship. Meaning implementing policies with the aim of eradicating coca production would come with negative externalities in the form of more kidnappings.

Contemporary criticism of the North American urban public realm has reached an unproductive state of exhaustion. For some time, it has painted a rather bleak portrait of public space attributed to the impacts of global private economic forces, the disintegration of traditional civic ideals and an increasing uncertainty in its ideal (or even relevant) spatial form. If a productive and meaningful dialogue about the public realm and architecture’s contribution to it is to emerge, a more complete definition of this realm must include the impacts of its informal others. This research-based thesis examines the city’s spaces and actors of hidden appearance as a contribution to that expanded definition. In so doing, it finds a more appropriate means for their description in what Henri Lefebvre terms the urban blind field. Just as the human eye’s blind spot is subjective, the urban blind field too is dynamic and shifting. Looking from multiple viewpoints is necessary to the blind field’s exposure and more genuine portrayal. The research centres around a series of blind fields encountered during field research undertaken across Toronto, Canada. Each is reconceived and foregrounded through participant actions upon them, rather than by professional design alone. Three fundamental urban acts — play, exchange and cultivation — serve as a loose framework for the theoretical, photographic and discursive explorations thereof. This thesis asserts that blind fields possess within them the seeds of active urban democracy — challenging contemporary criticism’s bleak claims. Therefore, their maintenance is paramount to a rich and active ongoing public realm. As a relational concept, the blind field also exposes a fertile means of reconsidering architectural praxis and its relationship to space, material, time and participatory hierarchies.

Contemporary criticism of the North American urban public realm has reached an unproductive state of exhaustion. For some time, it has painted a rather bleak portrait of public space attributed to the impacts of global private economic forces, the disintegration of traditional civic ideals and an increasing uncertainty in its ideal (or even relevant) spatial form. If a productive and meaningful dialogue about the public realm and architecture’s contribution to it is to emerge, a more complete definition of this realm must include the impacts of its informal others. This research-based thesis examines the city’s spaces and actors of hidden appearance as a contribution to that expanded definition. In so doing, it finds a more appropriate means for their description in what Henri Lefebvre terms the urban blind field. Just as the human eye’s blind spot is subjective, the urban blind field too is dynamic and shifting. Looking from multiple viewpoints is necessary to the blind field’s exposure and more genuine portrayal. The research centres around a series of blind fields encountered during field research undertaken across Toronto, Canada. Each is reconceived and foregrounded through participant actions upon them, rather than by professional design alone. Three fundamental urban acts — play, exchange and cultivation — serve as a loose framework for the theoretical, photographic and discursive explorations thereof. This thesis asserts that blind fields possess within them the seeds of active urban democracy — challenging contemporary criticism’s bleak claims. Therefore, their maintenance is paramount to a rich and active ongoing public realm. As a relational concept, the blind field also exposes a fertile means of reconsidering architectural praxis and its relationship to space, material, time and participatory hierarchies.

In the past, the main audiences of TV serials in Taiwan are housewives, but less TV serials set youngsters as target audiences. Recently, the appearance of ¡§Taiwan idol dramas¡¨ that plots are close to youngsters¡¦ life styles gives the youngsters a different choice and becomes a popular TV serial type among youngsters. ¡§Love¡¨ is an important element in Taiwan idol drama. For attracting audiences¡¦ attention, the producers will focus on the plots about love and make the contents that fit to the audiences¡¦ favor. The producers and screenwriters pay much attention on the plot-setting, but they ignore how they affect audiences¡¦ values and expectance for love of the society. For finding the relationship between Taiwan idol dramas and female audiences, the research combines cultivation and Use & Gratification, two different ways of audience research. By content analysis, the research defines the love world in Taiwan idol dramas. By questionnaire survey, the research understands the impressions and opinions for Taiwan idol dramas of female audiences with different viewing motives, viewing behaviors, and love experiences. Results show the particular love concept in Taiwan idol dramas will influence love concept of female audiences, and the love concept will be strengthened when they are heavy viewers. With much more motives like entertainment and information-learning, the particular love concept of audiences will be strengthened by the particular love concept in Taiwan idol dramas, but with much more motive like ritual viewing, the particular love concept of audiences will be weakened by the particular love concept in Taiwan idol dramas. No matter the audiences lack love experiences or have blessed love experiences, the love concept in Taiwan idol dramas will not influence love concept of audiences.

Der vorliegende Bericht stellt Ergebnisse des zweijährigen Projektes "Veränderte Pflanzenschutzmittel- und Nährstoffausträge bei bodenschonender Bewirtschaftung - Risikoanalyse und -vorsorge" vor. Auf landwirtschaftlichen Flächen in der Lommatzscher Pflege wurden mit einer Beregnungsanlage Starkniederschläge (worst-case-Szenario) simuliert. Die Untersuchungen zu Wasser- und Agrochemikalientransport fanden auf Flächen statt, die konventionell mit Pflug, konservierend flach bearbeitet bzw. in Direktsaat bestellt wurden. Die Auswirkungen auf vertikale und horizontale Stofftransporte, insbesondere von Nitrat-Stickstoff und dem Totalherbizid Durano mit dem Wirkstoff Glyphosat wurden untersucht.

Das Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie verglich verschiedene Anbauverfahren bei Brombeeren, Himbeeren, Johannisbeeren und Stachelbeeren mit und ohne Regenschutzüberdachung. Die Untersuchungen wurden in den Jahren 2004 bis 2008 im Obstgut Jentzsch in Bosewitz/Sachsen in einer Beerenobstversuchsanlage durchgeführt. Die Vermarktung erfolgte über eine Erzeugerorganisation. Die Erträge bei Himbeeren waren bei allen Anbauvarianten und Sorten zu gering und der Anbau dadurch nicht wirtschaftlich. Die Ursache der geringen Erträge waren ungünstige Witterungsbedingungen, der Befall mit Himbeerrutengallmücke und pilzlichen Schaderregern. Eine Regenschutzüberdachung kann für Himbeeren derzeit nicht empfohlen werden. Der Brombeeranbau war mit der verwendeten Anbaumethode und den Sorten »Loch Ness« und »Chester Thornless« sowohl im Freiland als auch unter einer Überdachung wirtschaftlich. Eine Überdachung für Brombeeren wird empfohlen. Bei Stachelbeeren und Johannisbeeren ist sowohl unter einer Überdachung als auch im Freiland ein wirtschaftlicher Anbau möglich. Zur Produktion qualitativ hochwertiger Ware ist die eintriebige Spindelerziehung gut geeignet. Eine Regenschutzüberdachung wird bei Stachelbeeren derzeit nicht empfohlen. Bei Johannisbeeren wird eine Überdachung nur bei spät reifenden Sorten wie »Rovada«, wenn diese für eine Lagerung vorgesehen sind, empfohlen.

Within the cultural context of social media networks, this study explores the image management behaviors of untagging and selective posting of photos on Facebook. Through a survey, respondents answered questions regarding whether they engage in these behaviors and why they do so. This study sought to find a relationship between high self-monitors and the behaviors of selective photo posting and those with low self-esteem and the behaviors of selective photo posting. It is predicted that those who are high self- monitors and those with low self-esteem are more likely to engage in selective photo posting. This study also applies the Cultivation Theory to practices of image management while providing insight into the implications image management may have on our society. / text

Social media is a newer emerging media outlet that could serve as a good communication tool for companies, marketers, and advertisers alike; yet, studies into the effects that social media may have on people’s perceptions is more limited. The goal of this research study is to investigate whether or not social media has the ability to influence people’s perceptions of brands. It applies cultivation theory to social media and specifically looks at whether or not social media can cultivate brand affect, trust, and loyalty. As a result, this study will allow for potential understanding of how to use social media effectively to communicate messages and where additional research can be done to better understand this newer media outlet. / text