scholarly journals Checking the Plausibility of Modelled Nitrate Concentrations in the Leachate on Federal State Scale in Germany

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Tim Wolters ◽  
Nils Cremer ◽  
Michael Eisele ◽  
Frank Herrmann ◽  
Peter Kreins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Model System ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Good Agreement ◽  
Lower Rhine

In Germany, modelled nitrate concentrations in the leachate are of great importance for the development of scenarios for the long-term achievement of the groundwater quality target according to the specific requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive as well as within the context of the recently adopted general administrative regulation for the designation of nitrate-polluted areas in Germany. For the German federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Rhineland-Palatinate (RLP), an area-covering modelling of mean long-term nitrate concentrations in leachate with high spatial resolution was carried out using the model system RAUMIS-mGROWA-DENUZ. Hotspot regions with nitrate concentrations in the leachate of 50 mg NO3/L and more were identified for intensively farmed areas in the Münsterland, Lower Rhine, and Vorderpfalz. The validity of modelled values was checked using measured values from 1119 preselected monitoring stations from shallow springs and aquifers filtered near to the surface with oxidizing properties. For the land use categories of urban areas, arable land, grassland, and forest, an at least good agreement of modelled nitrate concentrations in the leachate and measured nitrate concentrations in groundwater was obtained at numerous sites. An equally good agreement was obtained for 1461 measuring stations from the area of responsibility of the Erftverband, which is a major water supplier in the Lower Rhine region. Here, discrepancies have been analyzed in detail due to profound regional knowledge on observation sites. It turned out that in most cases, accuracy limitations of input data (e.g., N balance surpluses of agriculture at the municipal level, 1:50,000 soil map) have been the reason for larger deviations between observed and modelled values. In a broader sense, the case study has shown on the one hand that the model system RAUMIS-mGROWA-DENUZ is able to reliably represent interrelationships and influencing factors that determine simulated nitrate concentrations in the leachate. On the other hand, it has been proven that observed nitrate concentrations in groundwater may provide a solid data source for checking the plausibility of modelled nitrate concentrations in leachate in cases where certain preselection criteria are applied.

scholarly journals Regional differences in reasons for consultation and general practitioners’ spectrum of services in Northern Germany – Results of a cross-sectional observational study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Schäfer ◽  
Heike Hansen ◽  
Thomas Ruppel ◽  
Dagmar Lühmann ◽  
Hans-Otto Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Practice Trial ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Individual Consultation

Abstract Background Among other factors, the patients’ consultation reasons and GPs’ spectrum of services determine the process and outcome of the medical treatment. So far, however, there has been little information on differences in reasons for consultation and GPs’ services between urban and rural areas. Our study’s goal was thus to investigate these factors in relation to the regional location of GPs’ practices. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional observational study based on standardised GP interviews in a quota sampling design. All counties and independent cities within a radius of 120 km around Hamburg were divided into three regional categories (urban area, environs, rural area) and stratified proportionally to the population size. Differences in the number of reasons for consultation and services were analysed by multivariate linear regressions in mixed models adjusted for random effects on the levels of the German federal states and administrative districts. Differences in individual consultation reasons and services were identified by logistic regression via stepwise forward and backward selection. Results Primary care practices in 34 of the 37 selected administrative districts (91.9%) were represented in the dataset. In total, 211 GPs were personally interviewed. On average, GPs saw 344 patients per month with a slightly higher number of patients in rural areas. They reported 59.1 ± 15.4 different reasons for consultation and 30.3 + 3.9 different services. There was no statistically significant regional variation in the number of different consultation reasons, but there was a broader service spectrum by rural GPs (ß=-1.42; 95% confidence interval -2.75/-0.08; p=0.038) which was statistically explained by a higher level of medical training. Additionally, there were differences in the frequency of individual consultation reasons and services between rural and urban areas. Conclusion GPs in rural areas performed more frequently services usually provided by medical specialists in urban areas. This might be caused by a low availability of specialists in rural areas. The association between medical training and service spectrum might imply that GPs compensate the specific needs of their patients by completing advanced medical training before or after setting up a medical practice. Trial registration The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02558322).

scholarly journals Estimating vaccine effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed influenza among children and adolescents in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, 2012–2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 146 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. MÖHL ◽  
L. GRÄFE ◽  
C. HELMEKE ◽  
D. ZIEHM ◽  
M. MONAZAHIAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Vaccine Effectiveness ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Lower Saxony ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States ◽  
Influenza A H1n1

SUMMARYInfluenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) has to be estimated anew for every season to explore vaccines’ protective effect in the population. We report VE estimates against laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and influenza B among children aged 2–17 years, using test-negative design. Pooled data from two German federal states’ surveillance systems for acute respiratory illness from week 40/2012 to 20/2016 was used, yielding a total of 10 627 specimens. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between laboratory-confirmed influenza and vaccination status were calculated by multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, illness onset and federal state. VE was estimated as 1-Odds Ratio. Overall adjusted VE was 33% (95% CI: 24·3–40·7). A strong variation of VE between the seasons and subtypes was observed: highest season- and subtype-specific VE of 86·2% (95% CI: 41·3–96·7) was found against A(H1N1)pdm09 in 7–17-year-olds in 2015/16. Low estimates of VE were observed against A(H3N2) in any season, e.g. 1·5% (95% CI: −39·3–30·3) in 2014/15. Estimates showed a tendency to higher VE among 7–17-year-old children, but differences were not statistically significant. Although our findings are common in studies estimating influenza VE, we discussed several explanations for observed low VE.

scholarly journals Model-Based Analysis of Nitrate Concentration in the Leachate—The North Rhine-Westfalia Case Study, Germany

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Wendland ◽  
Sabine Bergmann ◽  
Michael Eisele ◽  
Horst Gömann ◽  
Frank Herrmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Nitrate Concentration ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Nitrogen Inputs ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Model Based Analysis

Reaching the EU quality standard for nitrate (50 mg NO3/L) in all groundwater bodies is a challenge in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westfalia (Germany). In the research project GROWA+ NRW 2021 initiated by the Federal States’ Ministry for Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection, amongst other aspects, a model-based analysis of agricultural nitrogen inputs into groundwater and nitrate concentration in the leachate was carried out. For this purpose, the water balance model mGROWA, the agro-economic model RAUMIS, and the reactive N transport model DENUZ were coupled and applied consistently across the whole territory of North Rhine-Westfalia with a spatial resolution of 100 m × 100 m. Besides agricultural N emissions, N emissions from small sewage plants, urban systems, and NOx deposition were also included in the model analysis. The comparisons of the modelled nitrate concentrations in the leachate of different land use influences with observed nitrate concentrations in groundwater were shown to have a good correspondence with regard to the concentration levels across all regions and different land-uses in North Rhine-Westphalia. On the level of ground water bodies (according to EU ground water directive) N emissions exclusively from agriculture led to failure of the good chemical state. This result will support the selection and the adequate dimensioning of regionally adapted agricultural N reduction measures.

scholarly journals Misperception of entrepreneurship and its consequences for the perception of entrepreneurial failure – the German case

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1865-1885
Author(s):  
Andreas Kuckertz ◽  
Elisabeth S.C. Berger ◽  
Alicia Prochotta
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
German Society ◽  
Business Failure ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
German Federal State

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how Germans' misperceptions of the nature of entrepreneurship influence their attitudes towards entrepreneurial failure.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a multivariate regression analysis, the study used data collected from a commercial online market research panel (N = 2,027) reflecting the overall German working population. Attitudinal items on business failure were used to measure the study variables. The study controlled for age, education, employment status, gender, income, whether the respondent knows a failed entrepreneur and the German federal state in which the respondent resides.FindingsThe findings suggest that reservations about failed entrepreneurs become stronger as misperceptions of the nature of entrepreneurship worsen. The results also show that failure reservations vary regionally over the 16 German federal states.Practical implicationsNationwide efforts regarding the stimulation of entrepreneurship and the acceptance of entrepreneurial failure are insufficient for removing failure reservations, as they neglect regional cultural differences. The results suggest that it is not enough just to invest in efforts to create a failure-friendly culture, and that a better general education about the realities of entrepreneurship is a prerequisite.Originality/valueThe study generates insights into how the overall population in an innovation-driven economy perceives entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial failure. Moreover, the work delves into the reasons why parts of German society reject failed entrepreneurs. Hence, this study can aid the drafting of effective policy initiatives at the regional and national levels.

scholarly journals Measuring and Predicting Long-Term Land Cover Changes in the Functional Urban Area of Budapest

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3331
Author(s):  
József Lennert ◽  
Jenő Zsolt Farkas ◽  
András Donát Kovács ◽  
András Molnár ◽  
Rita Módos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Urban Sprawl ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Land Cover Changes ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Nature And Society

The loss of farmland to urban use in peri-urban areas is a global phenomenon. Urban sprawl generates a decline in the availability of productive agricultural land around cities, causing versatile conflicts between nature and society and threatening the sustainability of urban agglomerations. This study aimed to uncover the spatial pattern of long-term (80 years) land cover changes in the functional urban area of Budapest, with special attention to the conversion of agricultural land. The paper is based on a unique methodology utilizing various data sources such as military-surveyed topographic maps from the 1950s, the CLC 90 from 1990, and the Urban Atlas from 2012. In addition, the multilayer perceptron (MLP) method was used to model land cover changes through 2040. The research findings showed that land conversion and the shrinkage of productive agricultural land around Budapest significantly intensified after the collapse of communism. The conversion of arable land to artificial surfaces increased, and by now, the traditional metropolitan food supply area around Budapest has nearly disappeared. The extent of forests and grasslands increased in the postsocialist period due to national afforestation programs and the demand of new suburbanites for recreational space. Urban sprawl and the conversion of agricultural land should be an essential issue during the upcoming E.U. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.

scholarly journals Regional and patient-related factors influencing the willingness to use general practitioners as coordinators of the treatment in northern Germany - results of a cross-sectional observational study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike Hansen ◽  
Ingmar Schäfer ◽  
Sarah Porzelt ◽  
Agata Kazek ◽  
Dagmar Lühmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Northern Germany ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
German Federal States

Abstract Background:In most countries, the general practitioner (GP) is the first point of contact in the healthcare system and coordinator of healthcare. However, in Germany it is possible to consult an outpatient specialist even without referral. Coordination by a GP might thus reduce health expenditures and inequalities in the healthcare system. The study describes the patients’ willingness/commitment to use the GP as coordinator of healthcare and identifies regional and patient-related factors associated with the aforementioned commitment to the GP.Methods:A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using a standardised telephone patient survey in northern Germany. All counties and independent cities within a radius of 120 km around Hamburg were divided into three regional categories (urban areas, environs, rural areas) and stratified proportionally to the population size. Patients were randomly selected from medical records of primary care practices in these administrative districts and recruited for the study. Multivariate linear regression models adjusted for random effects at the level of the German federal states, administrative districts and practices were used as statistical analysis methods.Results:811 patients (25.0%) from 190 practices and 34 administrative districts were interviewed. The patient commitment to a GP attained an average of 20 out of 24 possible points. Significant differences were found by gender (males: +1.14, p <0.001), morbidity (+0.10 per disease, p = 0.043), education (high vs. low: -1.74, p <0.001), logarithmised household net adjusted disposable incomes (-0.93 per point, p = 0.004), regional category (urban areas: -0.85, p = 0.022; environs: -0.80, p = 0.045) and healthcare utilisation (each GP contact: +0.30, p <0.001; each contact to a medical specialist: -0.75, p = 0.018).Conclusion:On average, the patients’ commitment to their GP was relatively strong, but there were large differences between patient groups. An increase in the patient commitment to the GP could be achieved through better patient information and targeted interventions, e.g. to women or patients from regions of higher urban density.

scholarly journals Urban Landscape Information Atlas and Model System Based on Remote Sensing Images

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Tian Hu ◽  
Wenbin Gong
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Urban Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Model System ◽  
City Image ◽  
Remote Sensing Images ◽  
The People ◽  
Landscape Information

City landscape is an element of city image, and city landscape logo should also belong to the entire system of the city image logo. Since the reform and opening up, China’s economic construction industry has attracted worldwide attention, and the improvement of people’s living standards has led to the continuous development of urban construction. The original urban style is gradually replaced by high-rise buildings, the differences between cities are getting smaller and smaller, and the people living in them have gradually abandoned the inheritance of various cultures and customs. This paper aims to study the urban landscape information map and its model system based on remote sensing images. With the support of remote sensing image technology and geographic information system platform, the urban landscape information map model system is developed, which can vividly reflect the changes in the urban landscape pattern. The urban landscape information map is used to display and reveal the spatial evolution of the urban landscape in the process of urban development. Result of empirical analysis: it summarizes the methods of geoscience information map and urban landscape information map and establishes the goal and content of researching urban landscape information map. And it provides a basis for solving the problems of urban development and urban management. In 2021, Shanghai’s urban areas have occupied more than 80%. It is conceivable that the area of arable land must be very small, but the area of green land still accounts for 40%; compared with last year, it is still an increase of 6%.

Die Nichterfüllung der Beschäftigungspflichtquote schwerbehinderter Menschen – Eine empirische Untersuchung möglicher Ursachen auf Ebene der deutschen Bundesländer

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 973-998
Author(s):  
Melanie Borah ◽  
Kathrin Hahn ◽  
Andreas Knabe
Keyword(s):  
State Level ◽  
Disabled Persons ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Employment Rate ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Empirische Untersuchung ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Statistische Analyse ◽  
German Federal States

Zusammenfassung Diese Studie untersucht Faktoren, die die teilweise starken Unterschiede in der Beschäftigungsquote Schwerbehinderter zwischen den deutschen Bundesländern im Zeitraum von 2003 bis 2015 erklären können. Sie legt dabei besonderen Wert auf die Situation in Sachsen-Anhalt, das in diesem Zeitraum die deutschlandweit niedrigste Beschäftigungsquote aufweist. Die multivariate statistische Analyse liefert Hinweise darauf, dass der Erfüllungsgrad der Beschäftigungspflichtquote nach § 154 SGB IX in stärkerem Ausmaß von soziodemografischen als von ökonomischen Strukturmerkmalen der Länder bestimmt wird. Als Hauptdeterminante tritt in dem hier spezifizierten Modell der Anteil der (registrierten) Schwerbehinderten an der Gesamtbevölkerung hervor. Abstract: Non-Compliance With The Compulsory Employment Quota Of Severely Disabled People – An Empirical Investigation Of Potential Causes At The German Federal State Level This paper examines factors that can explain substantial differences in the employment rate of severely disabled people between the German federal states from 2003 to 2015. It puts special emphasis on the situation in Saxony-Anhalt, which had the lowest employment rate of disabled persons nationwide during this time. The multivariate statistical analysis provides evidence that the degree of compliance with the compulsory employment quote is determined by socio-demographic rather than economic characteristics of the states. Within the specified model, the main determinant of the employment rate appears to be the share of (registered) severely disabled people in the population.

scholarly journals Regional differences in reasons for consultation and general practitioners’ spectrum of services – Results of a cross-sectional observational study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Schäfer ◽  
Heike Hansen ◽  
Thomas Ruppel ◽  
Dagmar Lühmann ◽  
Hans-Otto Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Individual Consultation

Abstract Background Among other factors, the patients’ consultation reasons and the GPs’ spectrum of services determine process and outcome of the medical treatment. So far, however, there has been little information on differences in reasons for consultations and performed services between urban and rural areas. Thus, the goal of the study was to investigate these factors in relation to the regional location of the GP practices.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional observational study based on standardised GP interviews in a quota sampling design. All counties and independent cities within a radius of 120km around Hamburg were divided in three regional categories (urban, rural, environs) and stratified proportionally to the population size. Differences in the number of reasons for consultation and services were analysed by multivariate linear regressions in mixed models adjusted for random effects on the levels of the German federal states and administrative districts. Differences in individual consultation reasons and services were identified by logistic regression models via stepwise forward and backward selection.Results Primary care practices in 34 of the 37 selected administrative districts (91.9%) were represented in the dataset. In total, 211 GPs were personally interviewed. On average, GPs saw 1,032 patients per quarter (3-month period) with a slightly higher number of patients in rural areas. They reported 59.1 ± 15.4 different reasons for consultations and 30.3 + 3.9 different services. There was no statistically significant regional variation in the number of different consultation reasons, but there was broader service spectrum by rural GPs (ß=-1.42; 95% confidence interval -2.75/-0.08; p=0.038), which was statistically explained by a higher level of postgraduate training. Additionally, there were differences in the frequency of individual consultation reasons and services between rural and urban areas.Conclusions GPs in rural areas spent less time on communicative, preventive, and consultant medicine than GPs in urban areas. In contrast, GPs in rural areas more often performed services that are usually provided by ambulatory specialist care in urban areas. Depending on the analysed item, primary care in the environs was either similar to “urban areas” or to “rural areas”.

Is local the new organic? Empirical evidence from German regions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Winterstein ◽  
André Habisch
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Federal State ◽  
German Population ◽  
General Applicability ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Federal States ◽  
German Federal States

PurposeThis paper measures German customers' label-depending preference and willingness to pay for organic and local food.Design/methodology/approachThe sample covers 325 survey respondents from 12 out of the 16 German federal states. Data was collected through convenience sampling in December 2019. A choice-based conjoint analysis was operated.FindingsCustomers value local food from their federal state most, thereby accepting a price premium of no less than 200%. The label moderates the influence of organic production conditions on price acceptance significantly.Research limitations/implicationsBased on self-reported data from a convenience sample, the demographic distribution of the sample differs from that of the German population. Moreover, the willingness to pay was found to be product-specific, limiting general applicability.Practical implicationsMarketers should focus on local and local organic food in the assortment. Marketing strategies should include information campaigns. Producers may sell their products regionally or cooperate with local retailers. Introducing a separate official “local organic” label is suggested.Originality/valueThe study provides detailed evidence on the preference of German costumers and suggests a significantly higher willingness to pay for organic and local food than previous literatures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document