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Recent advances in single particle tracking and supercomputing techniques demonstrate the emergence of normal or anomalous, viscoelastic diffusion in conjunction with non-Gaussian distributions in soft, biological, and active matter systems. We here formulate a stochastic model based on a generalised Langevin equation in which non-Gaussian shapes of the probability density function and normal or anomalous diffusion have a common origin, namely a random parametrisation of the stochastic force. We perform a detailed analysis demonstrating how various types of parameter distributions for the memory kernel result in exponential, power law, or power-log law tails of the memory functions. The studied system is also shown to exhibit a further unusual property: the velocity has a Gaussian one point probability density but non-Gaussian joint distributions. This behaviour is reflected in the relaxation from a Gaussian to a non-Gaussian distribution observed for the position variable. We show that our theoretical results are in excellent agreement with stochastic simulations.
Recent advances in single particle tracking and supercomputing techniques demonstrate the emergence of normal or anomalous, viscoelastic diffusion in conjunction with non-Gaussian distributions in soft, biological, and active matter systems. We here formulate a stochastic model based on a generalised Langevin equation in which non-Gaussian shapes of the probability density function and normal or anomalous diffusion have a common origin, namely a random parametrisation of the stochastic force. We perform a detailed analysis demonstrating how various types of parameter distributions for the memory kernel result in exponential, power law, or power-log law tails of the memory functions. The studied system is also shown to exhibit a further unusual property: the velocity has a Gaussian one point probability density but non-Gaussian joint distributions. This behaviour is reflected in the relaxation from a Gaussian to a non-Gaussian distribution observed for the position variable. We show that our theoretical results are in excellent agreement with stochastic simulations.
Quantitative estimates of sea-level rise in the Mediterranean Basin become increasingly accurate thanks to detailed satellite monitoring. However, such measuring campaigns cover several years to decades, while longer-term sea-level records are rare for the Mediterranean. We used a data archeological approach to reanalyze monthly mean sea-level data of the Antalya-I (1935–1977) tide gauge to fill this gap. We checked the accuracy and reliability of these data before merging them with the more recent records of the Antalya-II (1985–2009) tide gauge, accounting for an eight-year hiatus. We obtain a composite time series of monthly and annual mean sea levels spanning some 75 years, providing the longest record for the eastern Mediterranean Basin, and thus an essential tool for studying the region's recent sea-level trends. We estimate a relative mean sea-level rise of 2.2 ± 0.5 mm/year between 1935 and 2008, with an annual variability (expressed here as the standard deviation of the residuals, σresiduals = 41.4 mm) above that at the closest tide gauges (e.g., Thessaloniki, Greece, σresiduals = 29.0 mm). Relative sea-level rise accelerated to 6.0 ± 1.5 mm/year at Antalya-II; we attribute roughly half of this rate (~3.6 mm/year) to tectonic crustal motion and anthropogenic land subsidence. Our study highlights the value of data archeology for recovering and integrating historic tide gauge data for long-term sea-level and climate studies.
Landslides are frequent natural hazards in rugged terrain, when the resisting frictional force of the surface of rupture yields to the gravitational force. These forces are functions of geological and morphological factors, such as angle of internal friction, local slope gradient or curvature, which remain static over hundreds of years; whereas more dynamic triggering events, such as rainfall and earthquakes, compromise the force balance by temporarily reducing resisting forces or adding transient loads. This thesis investigates landslide distribution and orientation due to landslide triggers (e.g. rainfall) at different scales (6-4∙10^5 km^2) and aims to link rainfall movement with the landslide distribution. It additionally explores the local impacts of the extreme rainstorms on landsliding and the role of precursory stability conditions that could be induced by an earlier trigger, such as an earthquake.
Extreme rainfall is a common landslide trigger. Although several studies assessed rainfall intensity and duration to study the distribution of thus triggered landslides, only a few case studies quantified spatial rainfall patterns (i.e. orographic effect). Quantifying the regional trajectories of extreme rainfall could aid predicting landslide prone regions in Japan. To this end, I combined a non-linear correlation metric, namely event synchronization, and radial statistics to assess the general pattern of extreme rainfall tracks over distances of hundreds of kilometers using satellite based rainfall estimates. Results showed that, although the increase in rainfall intensity and duration positively correlates with landslide occurrence, the trajectories of typhoons and frontal storms were insufficient to explain landslide distribution in Japan. Extreme rainfall trajectories inclined northwestwards and were concentrated along some certain locations, such as coastlines of southern Japan, which was unnoticed in the landslide distribution of about 5000 rainfall-triggered landslides. These landslides seemed to respond to the mean annual rainfall rates.
Above mentioned findings suggest further investigation on a more local scale to better understand the mechanistic response of landscape to extreme rainfall in terms of landslides. On May 2016 intense rainfall struck southern Germany triggering high waters and landslides. The highest damage was reported at the Braunsbach, which is located on the tributary-mouth fan formed by the Orlacher Bach. Orlacher Bach is a ~3 km long creek that drains a catchment of about ~6 km^2. I visited this catchment in June 2016 and mapped 48 landslides along the creek. Such high landslide activity was not reported in the nearby catchments within ~3300 km^2, despite similar rainfall intensity and duration based on weather radar estimates. My hypothesis was that several landslides were triggered by rainfall-triggered flash floods that undercut hillslope toes along the Orlacher Bach. I found that morphometric features such as slope and curvature play an important role in landslide distribution on this micro scale study site (<10 km^2). In addition, the high number of landslides along the Orlacher Bach could also be boosted by accumulated damages on hillslopes due karst weathering over longer time scales.
Precursory damages on hillslopes could also be induced by past triggering events that effect landscape evolution, but this interaction is hard to assess independently from the latest trigger. For example, an earthquake might influence the evolution of a landscape decades long, besides its direct impacts, such as landslides that follow the earthquake. Here I studied the consequences of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake (MW 7.1) that triggered some 1500 landslides in an area of ~4000 km^2 in central Kyushu, Japan. Topography, i.e. local slope and curvature, both amplified and attenuated seismic waves, thus controlling the failure mechanism of those landslides (e.g. progressive). I found that topography fails in explaining the distribution and the preferred orientation of the landslides after the earthquake; instead the landslides were concentrated around the northeast of the rupture area and faced mostly normal to the rupture plane. This preferred location of the landslides was dominated mainly by the directivity effect of the strike-slip earthquake, which is the propagation of wave energy along the fault in the rupture direction; whereas amplitude variations of the seismic radiation altered the preferred orientation. I suspect that the earthquake directivity and the asymmetry of seismic radiation damaged hillslopes at those preferred locations increasing landslide susceptibility. Hence a future weak triggering event, e.g. scattered rainfall, could further trigger landslides at those damaged hillslopes.
Because of political conflicts and climate change, migration will be increased worldwide and integration in host societies is a challenge also for migrants. We hypothesize that migrants, who take up the challenge in a new social environment are taller than migrants who do not pose this challenge. We analyze by a questionnaire possible social, nutritional and ethnic influencing factors to body height (BH) of adult offspring of Turkish migrants (n = 82, 39 males) aged from 18 to 34 years (mean age 24.6 years). The results of multiple regression (downward selection) show that the more a male adult offspring of Turkish migrants feels like belonging to the Turkish culture, the smaller he is (95% CI, -3.79, -0.323). Further, the more a male adult offspring of Turkish migrants feels like belonging to the German culture, the taller he is (95% CI, -0.152, 1.738). We discussed it comparable to primates taking up their challenge in dominance, where as a result their body size increase is associated with higher IGF-1 level. IGF-1 is associated with emotional belonging and has a fundamental role in the regulation of metabolism and growth of the human body. With all pilot characteristics of our study results show that the successful challenge of integration in a new society is strongly associated with the emotional integration and identification in the sense of a personal sense of belonging to society. We discuss taller BH as a signal of social growth adjustment. In this sense, a secular trend of BH adaptation of migrants to hosts is a sign of integration.
In this study, the spatial and temporal impacts of the Ataturk Dam on agro-meteorological aspects of the Southeastern Anatolia region have been investigated. Change detection and environmental impacts due to water-reserve changes in Ataturk Dam Lake have been determined and evaluated using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imageries and meteorological datasets within a period of 1984-2011. These time series have been evaluated for three time periods. Dam construction period constitutes the first part of the study. Land cover/use changes especially on agricultural fields under the Ataturk Dam Lake and its vicinity have been identified between the periods of 1984-1992. The second period comprises the 10-year period after the completion of filling up the reservoir in 1992. At this period, Landsat and meteorological time-series analyses are examined to assess the impact of the Ataturk Dam Lake on selected irrigated agricultural areas. For the last 9-year period from 2002 to 2011, the relationships between seasonal water-reserve changes and irrigated plains under changing climatic factors primarily driving vegetation activity (monthly, seasonal, and annual fluctuations of rainfall rate, air temperature, humidity) on the watershed have been investigated using a 30-year meteorological time series. The results showed that approximately 368 km(2) of agricultural fields have been affected because of inundation due to the Ataturk Dam Lake. However, irrigated agricultural fields have been increased by 56.3% of the total area (1552 of 2756 km(2)) on Harran Plain within the period of 1984-2011.
We present the fabrication of TiO2 nanotube electrodes with high biocompatibility and extraordinary spectroscopic properties. Intense surface-enhanced resonance Raman signals of the heme unit of the redox enzyme Cytochromeb(5) were observed upon covalent immobilization of the protein matrix on the TiO2 surface, revealing overall preserved structural integrity and redox behavior. The enhancement factor could be rationally controlled by varying the electrode annealing temperature, reaching a record maximum value of over 70 at 475 degrees C. For the first time, such high values are reported for non-directly surface-interacting probes, for which the involvement of charge-transfer processes in signal amplification can be excluded. The origin of the surface enhancement is exclusively attributed to enhanced localized electric fields resulting from the specific optical properties of the nanotubular geometry of the electrode.
Paleoearthquakes and historic earthquakes are the most important source of information for the estimation of long-term earthquake recurrence intervals in fault zones, because corresponding sequences cover more than one seismic cycle. However, these events are often rare, dating uncertainties are enormous, and missing or misinterpreted events lead to additional problems. In the present study, I assume that the time to the next major earthquake depends on the rate of small and intermediate events between the large ones in terms of a clock change model. Mathematically, this leads to a Brownian passage time distribution for recurrence intervals. I take advantage of an earlier finding that under certain assumptions the aperiodicity of this distribution can be related to the Gutenberg-Richter b value, which can be estimated easily from instrumental seismicity in the region under consideration. In this way, both parameters of the Brownian passage time distribution can be attributed with accessible seismological quantities. This allows to reduce the uncertainties in the estimation of the mean recurrence interval, especially for short paleoearthquake sequences and high dating errors. Using a Bayesian framework for parameter estimation results in a statistical model for earthquake recurrence intervals that assimilates in a simple way paleoearthquake sequences and instrumental data. I present illustrative case studies from Southern California and compare the method with the commonly used approach of exponentially distributed recurrence times based on a stationary Poisson process.
Sub-seasonal thaw slump mass wasting is not consistently energy limited at the landscape scale
(2018)
Predicting future thaw slump activity requires a sound understanding of the atmospheric drivers and geomorphic controls on mass wasting across a range of timescales. On sub-seasonal timescales, sparse measurements indicate that mass wasting at active slumps is often limited by the energy available for melting ground ice, but other factors such as rainfall or the formation of an insulating veneer may also be relevant. To study the sub-seasonal drivers, we derive topographic changes from single-pass radar interferometric data acquired by the TanDEM-X satellites. The estimated elevation changes at 12m resolution complement the commonly observed planimetric retreat rates by providing information on volume losses. Their high vertical precision (around 30 cm), frequent observations (11 days) and large coverage (5000 km(2)) allow us to track mass wasting as drivers such as the available energy change during the summer of 2015 in two study regions. We find that thaw slumps in the Tuktoyaktuk coastlands, Canada, are not energy limited in June, as they undergo limited mass wasting (height loss of around 0 cm day 1) despite the ample available energy, suggesting the widespread presence of early season insulating snow or debris veneer. Later in summer, height losses generally increase (around 3 cm day 1), but they do so in distinct ways. For many slumps, mass wasting tracks the available energy, a temporal pattern that is also observed at coastal yedoma cliffs on the Bykovsky Peninsula, Russia. However, the other two common temporal trajectories are asynchronous with the available energy, as they track strong precipitation events or show a sudden speed-up in late August respectively. The observed temporal patterns are poorly related to slump characteristics like the headwall height. The contrasting temporal behaviour of nearby thaw slumps highlights the importance of complex local and temporally varying controls on mass wasting.
Sub-seasonal thaw slump mass wasting is not consistently energy limited at the landscape scale
(2018)
Predicting future thaw slump activity requires a sound understanding of the atmospheric drivers and geomorphic controls on mass wasting across a range of timescales. On sub-seasonal timescales, sparse measurements indicate that mass wasting at active slumps is often limited by the energy available for melting ground ice, but other factors such as rainfall or the formation of an insulating veneer may also be relevant. To study the sub-seasonal drivers, we derive topographic changes from single-pass radar interferometric data acquired by the TanDEM-X satellites. The estimated elevation changes at 12m resolution complement the commonly observed planimetric retreat rates by providing information on volume losses. Their high vertical precision (around 30 cm), frequent observations (11 days) and large coverage (5000 km(2)) allow us to track mass wasting as drivers such as the available energy change during the summer of 2015 in two study regions. We find that thaw slumps in the Tuktoyaktuk coastlands, Canada, are not energy limited in June, as they undergo limited mass wasting (height loss of around 0 cm day 1) despite the ample available energy, suggesting the widespread presence of early season insulating snow or debris veneer. Later in summer, height losses generally increase (around 3 cm day 1), but they do so in distinct ways. For many slumps, mass wasting tracks the available energy, a temporal pattern that is also observed at coastal yedoma cliffs on the Bykovsky Peninsula, Russia. However, the other two common temporal trajectories are asynchronous with the available energy, as they track strong precipitation events or show a sudden speed-up in late August respectively. The observed temporal patterns are poorly related to slump characteristics like the headwall height. The contrasting temporal behaviour of nearby thaw slumps highlights the importance of complex local and temporally varying controls on mass wasting.
Necrotrophic as well as saprophytic small-spored Altemaria (A.) species are annually responsible for major losses of agricultural products, such as cereal crops, associated with the contamination of food and feedstuff with potential health-endangering Altemaria toxins. Knowledge of the metabolic capabilities of different species-groups to form mycotoxins is of importance for a reliable risk assessment. 93 Altemaria strains belonging to the four species groups Alternaria tenuissima, A. arborescens, A. altemata, and A. infectoria were isolated from winter wheat kernels harvested from fields in Germany and Russia and incubated under equal conditions. Chemical analysis by means of an HPLC-MS/MS multi-Alternaria-toxin-method showed that 95% of all strains were able to form at least one of the targeted 17 non-host specific Altemaria toxins. Simultaneous production of up to 15 (modified) Altemaria toxins by members of the A. tenuissima, A. arborescens, A. altemata species-groups and up to seven toxins by A. infectoria strains was demonstrated. Overall tenuazonic acid was the most extensively formed mycotoxin followed by alternariol and alternariol mono methylether, whereas altertoxin I was the most frequently detected toxin. Sulfoconjugated modifications of alternariol, alternariol mono methylether, altenuisol and altenuene were frequently determined. Unknown perylene quinone derivatives were additionally detected. Strains of the species-group A. infectoria could be segregated from strains of the other three species-groups due to significantly lower toxin levels and the specific production of infectopyrone. Apart from infectopyrone, alterperylenol was also frequently produced by 95% of the A. infectoria strains. Neither by the concentration nor by the composition of the targeted Altemaria toxins a differentiation between the species-groups A. altemata, A. tenuissima and A. arborescens was possible.
Necrotrophic as well as saprophytic small-spored Altemaria (A.) species are annually responsible for major losses of agricultural products, such as cereal crops, associated with the contamination of food and feedstuff with potential health-endangering Altemaria toxins. Knowledge of the metabolic capabilities of different species-groups to form mycotoxins is of importance for a reliable risk assessment. 93 Altemaria strains belonging to the four species groups Alternaria tenuissima, A. arborescens, A. altemata, and A. infectoria were isolated from winter wheat kernels harvested from fields in Germany and Russia and incubated under equal conditions. Chemical analysis by means of an HPLC-MS/MS multi-Alternaria-toxin-method showed that 95% of all strains were able to form at least one of the targeted 17 non-host specific Altemaria toxins. Simultaneous production of up to 15 (modified) Altemaria toxins by members of the A. tenuissima, A. arborescens, A. altemata species-groups and up to seven toxins by A. infectoria strains was demonstrated. Overall tenuazonic acid was the most extensively formed mycotoxin followed by alternariol and alternariol mono methylether, whereas altertoxin I was the most frequently detected toxin. Sulfoconjugated modifications of alternariol, alternariol mono methylether, altenuisol and altenuene were frequently determined. Unknown perylene quinone derivatives were additionally detected. Strains of the species-group A. infectoria could be segregated from strains of the other three species-groups due to significantly lower toxin levels and the specific production of infectopyrone. Apart from infectopyrone, alterperylenol was also frequently produced by 95% of the A. infectoria strains. Neither by the concentration nor by the composition of the targeted Altemaria toxins a differentiation between the species-groups A. altemata, A. tenuissima and A. arborescens was possible.
Home range size and resource use of breeding and non-breeding white storks along a land use gradient
(2018)
Biotelemetry is increasingly used to study animal movement at high spatial and temporal resolution and guide conservation and resource management. Yet, limited sample sizes and variation in space and habitat use across regions and life stages may compromise robustness of behavioral analyses and subsequent conservation plans. Here, we assessed variation in (i) home range sizes, (ii) home range selection, and (iii) fine-scale resource selection of white storks across breeding status and regions and test model transferability. Three study areas were chosen within the Central German breeding grounds ranging from agricultural to fluvial and marshland. We monitored GPS-locations of 62 adult white storks equipped with solar-charged GPS/3D-acceleration (ACC) transmitters in 2013-2014. Home range sizes were estimated using minimum convex polygons. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess home range selection and fine-scale resource selection by relating the home ranges and foraging sites to Corine habitat variables and normalized difference vegetation index in a presence/pseudo-absence design. We found strong variation in home range sizes across breeding stages with significantly larger home ranges in non-breeding compared to breeding white storks, but no variation between regions. Home range selection models had high explanatory power and well predicted overall density of Central German white stork breeding pairs. Also, they showed good transferability across regions and breeding status although variable importance varied considerably. Fine-scale resource selection models showed low explanatory power. Resource preferences differed both across breeding status and across regions, and model transferability was poor. Our results indicate that habitat selection of wild animals may vary considerably within and between populations, and is highly scale dependent. Thereby, home range scale analyses show higher robustness whereas fine-scale resource selection is not easily predictable and not transferable across life stages and regions. Such variation may compromise management decisions when based on data of limited sample size or limited regional coverage. We thus recommend home range scale analyses and sampling designs that cover diverse regional landscapes and ensure robust estimates of habitat suitability to conserve wild animal populations.
מחקר זה עוסק במשנתו החדשנית של ר' צדוק הכהן מלובלין. לפי רוב החוקרים, ר' צדוק ממשיך את משנת רבו, ר' מרדכי יוסף ליינער מאיזביצה, ומציג פטליזם אקזיסטנציאליסטי: לאדם יש חופש כנגד החוק המקובל, לפי רצון האל הנגלה בליבו, אפילו בתשוקותיו, החורג מההלכה; ואולם, האדם אינו קובע את הרצון המתגלה בשורש נשמתו, אלא חושפו בלבד. בכתבי ר' צדוק ניתן למצוא ביטויים רבים, בתוכן ובצורה, לפטליזם זה; עם זאת, הוא מציג גם התבטאויות רבות בדבר הבחירה האנושית החופשית וכוחה היצירתי לכונן ולקבוע את שורשו של האדם, ולחדש ולהשפיע על העולמות האלוקיים ועל העולם-הזה. מחקר זה מתמקד בקטעים אלו שמרכזיותם הוזנחה במחקר עד כה, ומכאן הבנתו המחודשת במשנתו.
את עמדת ר' צדוק ניתן להסביר באמצעות התפיסה הפרדוקסלית, הטוענת לכוחם המלא של שני הקטבים הסותרים ואף להשפעה הדדית ביניהם, היוצרת מתח קשה אך פורה: בניגוד לתהליך הפורמלי, האניטלקטואלי והאפריורי של הפטליזם, שבו 'הידיעה' האלוהית מבטלת את 'הבחירה' האנושית החופשית, ר' צדוק מציג פטאליות, המזהה המציאות עצמה את הידיעה והרצון האלוהיים המצויים בכל. בפטליות זו הידיעה אינה מבטלת את הבחירה; להיפך: ללא הידיעה האלוקית אין לאף דבר קיום, ולכן רק מציאות הידיעה בבחירה היא המאפשרת את קיומה הממשי.
תפיסתו האונטולוגית של ר' צדוק מתקיימת לא רק בתוכן הישיר של דבריו, אלא גם בעקיפין, באופן דרשנותו ובמובן שהוא מעניק למושגים שבהם הוא דן; לכן, הפטליות מתגלה גם בתחומים נוספים, שבהם מצוי פער בין הממד המוחלט וההכרחי ('ידיעה') לממד הקונטינגנטי, הארעי והיחסי ('בחירה'): השקר, הדמיון, הרוע, החטא, הייסורים ועוד, אמנם קונטינגנטיים ויחסיים לעומת מוחלטות האמת, הטוב וכו'; אך לפי ר' צדוק, האל רוצה בהם ככאלה – כלומר יש להם ממשות שאינה מוחלטת, אלא ממשות ככאלה, כקונטינגנטיים. אך ממשות זו אינה מאשרת אותם כפי שהם, אלא יוצרת בהם-עצמם טרנספורמציה. למשל, הרוע אינו הופך לטוב מוחלט או נותר כרוע, אלא הופך ל'טוב מאד' שלפי ר' צדוק גדול מהטוב הרגיל.
מכאן עולה גם ההשפעה ההפוכה, זו של הבחירה על הידיעה. לפי ר' צדוק, משקבלה הקונטינגנטיות והיחסיות של 'הבחירה' – שהיא למעשה מהות הבריאה ומהות האדם ומעשיו – את ממשותה, בכוחה אף להוסיף כביכול על המוחלטות האלוקית הקבועה של 'הידיעה': 'נגע' החטא או הייסורים הופך בעצמו, בחילוף אותם אותיות, ל'ענג' הגדול מההנאה הרגילה; בכוח האדם להשפיע על העולמות העליונים בגזירת גזירות ובביטול גזירות אלוקיות; בכוחו אף להשפיע על העולם-הזה, בחידושו היומיומי על-ידי חידושי התושב"ע, ובקידוש החודש המסוגל לשנות את תנועת המזלות השמימיים. מצד אחד, היצירתיות האנושית של חידושי התושב"ע כלולה באמת האלוקית הגנוזה בתושב"כ האלוקית והיא רק חושפת אותה; אך לפי ר"צ, מצד אחר מתברר שמקור חידושי התושב"ע דווקא גבוה ממקור התושב"כ והם אלו היוצרים וקובעים אותה.
ר' צדוק מציג שני מושגים מרכזיים לפרדוקס שלו: בממד האונטולוגי – 'הייחוד הגמור' של האל, שבו הדואליות הקונטינגנטית (בין האל לנבראיו, והבחירה שהיא מאפשרת) של 'הייחוד התחתון' מתקיימת פרדוקסלית עם האחדות המוחלטת ו'הידיעה' האלוהית של 'הייחוד העליון'.
בממד של מצבו האקזיסטנציאלי של האדם – 'השורש הנעלם': בניגוד לר' מרדכי יוסף רבו, ר' צדוק טוען שהאדם קובע את גורלו על-ידי מעשיו הבחיריים והקונטינגנטיים; ואולם, במקביל, בדומה לרבו, הוא טוען גם שהשורש הקבוע של האדם נקבע על-ידי 'הידיעה' האלוהית והיא זו הקובעת את מעשיו לטוב או למוטב. אך מעל אלו מציג ר' צדוק שורש נוסף, 'נעלם' הגבוה מהשורש הקבוע: הוא אכן שורש מוחלט ('ידיעה'), אך הוא נקבע ומכוּנן על-ידי מעשיו הבחיריים של האדם, בדומה לבריאה האלוהית 'יש מאין'.
Anti-fat bias is widespread and is linked to the internalization of weight bias and psychosocial problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the internalization of weight bias among children across weight categories and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale for Children (WBIS-C). Data were collected from 1484 primary school children and their parents. WBIS-C demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha = .86) after exclusion of Item 1. The unitary factor structure was supported using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (factorial validity). Girls and overweight children reported higher WBIS-C scores in comparison to boys and non-overweight peers (known-groups validity). Convergent validity was shown by significant correlations with psychosocial problems. Internalization of weight bias explained additional variance in different indicators of psychosocial well-being. The results suggest that the WBIS-C is a psychometrically sound and informative tool to assess weight bias internalization among children.
Die Gesundheit unserer Jugend ist seit je ein gesellschaftspolitisches Primat und verdient die grösstmögliche Beachtung. Ein Teilbereich, nämlich Bewegung und Sport, ist in der Schweiz auch aus diesem Grund verfassungsmässig geregelt. Sämtliche Volksschulen müssen bis ins neunte Schuljahr pro Woche drei Lektionen Bewegung und Sport anbieten.. Als einziges Schulfach geniesst Bewegung und Sport diesen bundesgesetzlichen Support im sonst streng föderalistisch organisierten Bildungssystem der Schweiz. Trotz diesen drei verordneten Sportlektionen ist die physische Leistungsfähigkeit unserer Jugend einhergehend mit gesundheitlichen Parametern seit 1985 rückläufig und seit ein paar Jahren auf tiefem Niveau stagnierend. Zudem berichten Lehrpersonen über sinkende Konzentrationsfähigkeit in den letzten Jahren. Um eine flächendeckende Verbesserung der Situation zu bewirken, bietet sich die Schule als zentraler Ort der Einflussnahme an. Dies gilt im Besonderen für den Bereich Bewegung und Sport. Im Jahr 2005 wurde das Programm einer täglichen Bewegungs- und Sportstunde an der Primarschule in Luzern/Schweiz gestartet. Nach einem kontinuierlichen Ausbau kamen ab 2011 etwas über 1300 Kinder von der ersten bis zur sechsten Klasse in den Genuss dieser täglichen Bewegungslektion. Die wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen in den drei gesellschaftlich hoch relevanten Bereichen der Konzentrationsfähigkeit, des Übergewichts und der Gleichgewichtsfähigkeit ergaben positive Resultate. So konnte die Konzentrationsfähigkeit – die Basis für erfolgreiches Lernen – signifikant gesteigert werden und teilweise signifikant war die Verbesserung des statischen Gleichgewichts. Ein positiver Trend zeigte sich auch bei der Senkung des Body-Mass-Indexes bei Knaben. Dies konnte bei den Mädchen nicht nachgewiesen werden. Auch wenn nicht alle Hypothesen vollumfänglich bestätigt werden konnten, gilt es festzuhalten, dass das Projekt der täglichen Sport- und Bewegungsstunde die Erwartungen in allen drei Messbereichen erfüllt hat und die Verbesserungen hinsichtlich der Konzentrationsfähigkeit, des Übergewichts und der Gleichgewichtsfähigkeit mehrheitlich ausgewiesen werden können. Es lohnt sich also, die tägliche Sport- und Bewegungsstunde an der Primarschule einzuführen und den Präventionsgedanken auch Taten folgen zu lassen.
In challenging times for international law, there might be a heightened need for both analysis and prescription. The international rule of law as a connecting thread that goes through the global legal order is a particularly salient topic. By providing a working understanding of the content and contexts of the international rule of law, and by taking the regime of international investment law as a case study, this paper argues that assessing 'rise' or 'decline' motions in this sphere warrants a nuanced approach that should recognise parallel positive and negative developments. Whilst prominent procedural and substantive aspects of international investment law strongly align with the international rule of law requirements, numerous challenges threaten the future existence of the regime and appeal of international rule of law more broadly. At the same time, opportunities exist to adapt the substantive decision-making processes in investor-State disputes so to pursue parallel goals of enhancing rule of law at both international and national levels. Through recognising the specificities of interaction between international and national sphere, arbitrators can further reinvigorate the legitimacy of international rule of law through international investment law - benefitting thus the future of both.