The prognosis of patients suffering from severe hyperlipidemia, sometimes combined with elevated lipoprotein (a) levels, and coronary heart disease refractory to diet and lipid-lowering drugs is poor. For such patients, regular treatment with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is the therapeutic option. Today, there are five different LDL-apheresis systems available: cascade filtration or lipid filtration, immunoadsorption, heparin-induced LDL precipitation, dextran sulfate LDL adsorption, and the LDL hemoperfusion. There is a strong correlation between hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Besides the elimination of other risk factors, in severe hyperlipidemia therapeutic strategies should focus on a drastic reduction of serum lipoproteins. Despite maximum conventional therapy with a combination of different kinds of lipid-lowering drugs, sometimes the goal of therapy cannot be reached. Hence, in such patients, treatment with LDL-apheresis is indicated. Technical and clinical aspects of these five different LDL-apheresis methods are shown here. There were no significant differences with respect to or concerning all cholesterols, or triglycerides observed. With respect to elevated lipoprotein (a) levels, however, the immunoadsorption method seems to be most effective. The different published data clearly demonstrate that treatment with LDL-apheresis in patients suffering from severe hyperlipidemia refractory to maximum conservative therapy is effective and safe in long-term application.

Throughout Europe the demands for improved flood protection on the one hand and the requirements to maintain and enhance floodplain forests on the other are perceived as conflicting goals in river-basin management, revealing the urgent need for strategies to combine both issues. We developed an interdisciplinary approach for floodplain-forest restoration identifying sites suitable for reforestations from both an ecological and hydraulic point of view. In the ecological module, habitat-distribution models are developed providing information on ecologically suitable sites. In the hydraulic module, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic-numerical model (2D-HN model) delivers the requested hydraulic information. The output of the two models is intersected. Subsequently, in an iterative procedure, the potential of plantings without exceeding critical water levels can be identified by hydraulic evaluation using the 2D-HN-model. The approach is exemplified using two reforestation scenarios at the Elbe River, Germany, showing considerable potential for softwood forest establishment without negative hydraulic effects. The approach reported here provides a solution for a severe conflict in river-basin management that hampers the reestablishment of the strongly threatened floodplain forests in Europe. Alternative measures to enhance floodplain-forest regeneration feasible under certain preconditions are discussed in the context of the current state of European large rivers.

This paper presents results regarding the flow resistance and the drag coefficient of floodplain vegetation. According to the literature review, most of the investigations concerning the interaction between flow and woody vegetation are based on laboratory experiments where the vegetation is idealized with a high level of abstraction. However, the vegetation's resistance behaviour depends on many natural parameters, such as the flexural rigidity, the manner of contraction in the current, the degree of foliation and the vibration behaviour. Furthermore the varying shape of the vegetation elements due to the current forces has to be observed. The drag coefficients of three kinds of willow species depending on the flow conditions and the effect of the plants flexibility and foliation on the projected plant area and thus on the drag coefficient are presented in this paper. The results show that it is very important to distinguish between leafy and leafless condition as the drag coefficient is a result of different physical effects.

Question: What are the hydrological requirements for the successful reforestation of riparian Salix communities? Do differences in site conditions between various life stages of woody vegetation types need to be considered? Do interactions between hydrological factors influence distribution patterns? Location: Mid‐reaches of the Elbe River, Germany. Methods: Young and old life stages of two different riparian Salix communities were surveyed in 1067 plots of 400 m2 to determine hydrological growth conditions using habitat distribution models. Models were extrapolated in a Geographic Information System to quantify the extent of potential stands available for reforestation measures. Results: Average water level and water level fluctuations were related to different vegetation types as well as to the age classes of the vegetation types. Differences in hydrological niches of young and old vegetation of the two vegetation types (tree community versus shrub community) could be identified. Moreover, the shrub vegetation was influenced by the interaction of average water level and fluctuations. Comparison of the distribution of current vegetation and suitable habitat revealed that considerable areas of the floodplain were suitable for the reforestation of Salix woodland communities. Conclusions: Hydrological variables explain the distribution patterns of riparian Salix communities in the active floodplain when different life stages, vegetation types and interaction of variables are included in the analyses. This information can be used to recommend suitable sites for Salix plantings in riparian landscapes.

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