@phdthesis{Rode2026, author = {Rode, Robert}, title = {Redefining conservation in world society : indigenous peoples' challenges to green colonialism in the UNESCO World Heritage regime}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7339}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73392}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2026}, abstract = {This study explores how the globalisation of Indigenous human rights is reshaping nature conservation within the UNESCO World Heritage regime and challenging the enduring legacies of "green colonialism." Building on environmental-historical accounts of fortress conservation and on Indigenous critiques of exclusionary protected-area politics, the study expands Thomas Schmitt's cultural-geographic approach to UNESCO World Heritage by including the perspective of a global nature conservation regime in which competing conservation paradigms are negotiated. It asks (1) how the global institutionalisation of Indigenous rights norms, especially the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, contests exclusionary conservation practices in World Heritage, and (2) how paradigm competition transforms power relations between Indigenous peoples and the institutional complex of States Parties, Advisory Bodies, and the World Heritage Centre. The analysis combines world society theory, figurational sociology, and decolonial approaches to trace shifting dependencies, normative isomorphism, and the coloniality of knowledge in World Heritage decision-making. Empirically, the dissertation employs a historical and regional comparative approach across four sites: Man{\´u} National Park (Peru), Tongariro National Park (Aotearoa/New Zealand), Lake Bogoria (Kenya), and Pimachiowin Aki (Canada). A qualitative content analysis of official UNESCO records from 1987 to 2023 (including World Heritage Committee decisions, Advisory Body evaluations, State of Conservation reports, nomination files, and management plans) is conducted. Findings show an uneven institutionalisation of Indigenous rights across cases and over time. While formal references to participation and Indigenous human rights have expanded, implementation often remains partial, reflecting a persistent decoupling between normative commitments and conservation practice. Nevertheless, the regime displays limited but notable openness to human rights-based and inclusive conservation, particularly when Indigenous actors and human rights institutions intervene. Overall, the study argues that the World Heritage regime has become a contested platform for addressing historical injustices and that its legitimacy increasingly depends on Indigenous-led approaches to the designation and management of World Heritage properties. Methodologically, it demonstrates how UNESCO's repository of official records can be used to reconstruct organisational "documentary realities" and trace institutional change comparatively.}, subject = {UNESCO World Heritage regime; Indigenous peoples; Green colonialism; Nature conservation; World society; UNESCO-Welterbe-Regime; Indigene V{\"o}lker; Gr{\"u}ner Kolonialismus; Naturschutz; Weltgesellschaft}, language = {en} } @techreport{Schiffner2025, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Schiffner, Johanna}, title = {Die Bedeutung von M{\"a}nnlichkeitsanforderungen im Kontext (extrem) rechter Gewalt in der Transformationszeit in Ostdeutschland : eine genderreflektierende Analyse der autobiografischen Auseinandersetzung von Hendrik Bolz mit der Sozialisation in den „Nullerjahren"}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7314}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73143}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Diese Masterarbeit wurde als Qualifikationsarbeit f{\"u}r den M. A. Soziale Arbeit an der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg eingereicht und untersucht die Rolle von M{\"a}nnlichkeitsanforderungen in (extrem) rechten Gruppenzusammenh{\"a}ngen. Grundlage ist eine genderreflektierende Analyse des autobiografisch gepr{\"a}gten Romans „Nullerjahre. Jugend in bl{\"u}henden Landschaften" von Hendrik Bolz. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Frage nach der Bedeutung von M{\"a}nnlichkeit in Bezug auf die Hinwendung in extrem rechte Gruppenzusammenh{\"a}nge mit einem Fokus auf die m{\"a}nnliche Sozialisation in Ostdeutschland in den sogenannten Baseballschl{\"a}gerjahren. Die Analyse orientiert sich an der Grounded Theory. Theoretisch erfolgt eine Orientierung an Ans{\"a}tzen der kritischen M{\"a}nnlichkeitsforschung, welche mit historischen, sozialr{\"a}umlichen sowie gesellschaftlichen Kontextfaktoren der Nachwendezeit verkn{\"u}pft werden. Im Ergebnis er{\"o}ffnet die Analyse einen differenzierten Blick auf rechte Jugendgewalt: Sie betrachtet die Anschlussf{\"a}higkeit an (extrem) rechte Gruppierungen in der Transformationszeit in Ostdeutschland aus dem Zusammenspiel von m{\"a}nnlicher Sozialisation, kollektiver Zugeh{\"o}rigkeit und spezifischen sozio{\"o}konomischen, kulturellen und sozialen Bedingungen. Die Arbeit leistet einen Beitrag zur geschlechterreflektierenden Forschung zu Rechtsextremismus, indem sie verdeutlicht, dass M{\"a}nnlichkeitsanforderungen und hypermaskuline Selbstinszenierungen zentrale Orientierungspunkte innerhalb (extrem) rechter Gruppenzusammenh{\"a}nge darstellen. Sie betont dar{\"u}ber hinaus die Bedeutung sozialr{\"a}umlicher Verankerungen und langfristiger habitueller Pr{\"a}gungen f{\"u}r Radikalisierungs- und Distanzierungsprozesse und markiert damit pr{\"a}ventive Ansatzpunkte f{\"u}r sozialp{\"a}dagogische Handlungsfelder.}, subject = {M{\"a}nnlichkeit; Rechtsextremismus; Ostdeutschland; Nullerjahre; Gewalt; Masculinity; Right-wing extremism; East Germany; 2000s; Violence; M{\"a}nnlichkeit; Rechtsradikalismus; Gewalt; Transformation}, language = {de} } @article{SchowarteRiedelFischeretal.2026, author = {Schowarte, Julia and Riedel, Ramona and Fischer, Tomas and Helle, Sven and Martienssen, Marion and Arellano-Garcia, Harvey}, title = {Synergistic enhancement of PFOA and 6:2-FTAB photodegradation using Au/Y-doped TiO2 nanocatalysts}, series = {Chemical Engineering Journal Advances}, volume = {26}, journal = {Chemical Engineering Journal Advances}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {2666-8211}, doi = {10.1016/j.ceja.2026.101121}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Efficient degradation of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) requires photocatalysts capable of promoting strong CF bond cleavage and selective interfacial charge transfer. In this proof-of-concept-study, a dual-doped TiO2 nanophotocatalyst (Au2/Y5/P25) was synthesized by combining gold (Au) nanoparticles and yttrium (Y) dopants to enhance charge separation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Structural characterization supported Au deposition on the TiO2 surface and Y incorporation into the lattice, accompanied by a slight bandgap narrowing. Under UV irradiation in aqueous solution (unbuffered pH 5.8, room temperature) the nanophotocatalyst exhibited distinct degradation pathways for 1000 μg L-1 of two representative PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Capstone B (6:2 FTAB), reflecting environmentally prevalent groups. PFOA underwent 99 \% degradation within 100 min via a stepwise CF2-cleavage mechanism, generating a sequence of perfluorocarboxylic acids down to perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), consistent with enhanced electron-hole separation. In contrast, Capstone B showed rapid, single-step S-N bond cleavage to 6:2 perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (6:2 PFOS), primarily driven by hole- and •OH-mediated oxidation under oxygen-rich conditions. This process achieved 96 \% degradation within 20 min but did not proceed to further defluorination, indicating oxidative limitations. Dissolved oxygen analysis revealed efficient electron utilization and sustained oxidative turnover without excessive oxygen depletion. The findings demonstrate that Au/Y co-doping promotes selective PFAS activation, enabling rapid precursor oxidation while exposing the kinetic limits of secondary C-F bond cleavage. These discoveries offer new insights into the design of plasmonic-rare-earth-modified TiO2 photocatalysts for efficient PFAS degradation through interface-driven oxidation pathways.}, subject = {Nanoparticles; PFAS; PFOA Photocatalysis; TiO2}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-7253, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,08 (24.03.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7253}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72532}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Beitragsordnung der Studierendenschaft der Brandenburgischen Technischen Universit{\"a}t Cottbus-Senftenberg f{\"u}r das Wintersemester 2026/27 vom 17. M{\"a}rz 2026}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{FloresdeLeon2026, author = {Flores de Le{\´o}n, Rafael Maximiliano}, title = {Notions of social cohesion in the making of World Heritage Cities : discursive repertoires articulating social cohesion notions in the UNESCO documents framing the nomination and management of World Heritage Cities inscribed between 2017 and 2021}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7310}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73109}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2026}, abstract = {UNESCO guidelines for the management of historic cities and World Heritage (WH) sites have pointed out that urban heritage can foster social cohesion. Scholars have also suggested that heritage has the potential to (positively) influence social cohesion. However, it remains unclear how this outcome can be achieved. A central challenge is that social cohesion is a contested and mouldable concept that is subject to interpretations and can encompass diverse notions. Hence, before exploring how urban heritage can contribute to social cohesion, it was necessary to investigate what social cohesion can mean in the context of urban heritage. Using discursive institutionalism as a theoretical foundation and integrating perspectives from critical heritage studies, this research examines how social cohesion notions are articulated in discursive repertoires in UNESCO documents that framed the nomination and management of urban areas inscribed as WH between 2017 and 2021. The analyses and discussions of the investigation were structured using a conceptual framework that integrates eleven recurrent notions considered part of or necessary for social cohesion - which in this research are called constituents of the concept - and three typologies into which social cohesion constructs can be grouped: relational, ideational, and distributive. This research demonstrates that the analysed UNESCO documents articulate multiple notions related to the constituents and typologies of social cohesion. These notions are articulated in various discursive repertoires and provide opportunities to use WH processes to promote social objectives. As for the relational typology, which focuses on fostering and maintaining social relations, the UNESCO documents articulate notions that encourage interaction and enable the regulation and protection of social dynamics. Turning to the ideational typology of social cohesion, which focuses on reinforcing identities, the processes for the identification of Outstanding Universal Values and designation of WH cities move towards critical approaches that acknowledge the power of heritage to shape the acceptance and othering of the many groups converging in cities. In this way, WH can help negotiate and promote intragroup and intergroup social cohesion in cities. Finally, regarding the distributive typology of social cohesion, which aims to address disparities, although the UNESCO guidelines and heritage experts acknowledge unwanted impacts of WH designations related to inequality, such as gentrification and commodification processes, recommendations or statements enabling the use of WH to recognise and address disparities are rarely articulated.}, subject = {Social cohesion; Urban heritage; World Heritage; Discursive institutionalism; Critical heritage studies; Sozialer Zusammenhalt; St{\"a}dtisches Erbe; Welterbe; Diskursiver Institutionalismus; Kritische Kulturerbe-Forschung; Welterbe; Stadt; Gemeinsinn; Gruppenkoh{\"a}sion; Institutionalismus; Diskurs}, language = {en} } @techreport{OPUS4-7290, type = {Working Paper}, title = {My Wilderness II: selected essays in creative writing}, editor = {Rodr{\´i}guez Mansilla, Francesc Gabriel and Schwarz, Astrid}, issn = {2747-8262}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7290}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72908}, year = {2026}, abstract = {The course "How to talk about "nature"?" is offered every winter semester to an average of 125 students at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. As part of the course, students have the opportunity to critically question and rethink the concept of "nature" and some of its derivative notions, such as "nature as wilderness." After examining how this notion has led to an artificial separation between humanity and a supposedly "human-free nature," students recognize the limitations of this duality. Through an in-depth exploration of the historical and cultural roots of this notion of "nature as wilderness", students are then invited to share their experiences of "wilderness" that challenge this duality. Here we have compiled a selection of their responses from the winter semesters 20/21 and 21/22.}, subject = {Creative writing; Naturecultures; Environmental history; Anthropogenic influence; Environmental ethics; Kreatives Schreiben; Naturkulturen; Umwelt Geschichte; Anthropogener Einfluss; Umweltethik; Kreatives Schreiben; Umwelt; Geschichte; Anthropogener Einfluss; Umweltethik}, language = {en} } @article{SohailMartienssen2026, author = {Sohail, Noman and Martienssen, Marion}, title = {Mechanistic insights into quorum quenching-mediated control of EPS and biofilm formation in submerged MBR}, series = {Molecules}, volume = {31}, journal = {Molecules}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1420-3049}, doi = {10.3390/molecules31061022}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Quorum quenching (QQ) is a promising biological approach that has the potential to control membrane biofouling. However, the implementation of the QQ membrane bioreactor still requires a more systematic and comprehensive understanding, including the selection of membrane materials, the determination of the optimal QQ bacterial dosage, and the use of appropriate media for the immobilization of QQ bacteria, all of which are important to ensure long-term operation. The present study investigated the impact of QQ bacteria on biofilm formation across different polymeric membranes. These include flat sheet membranes, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polysulfones (PSs), and hollow-fibre polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes. It also evaluated biofilm development, membrane filtration performance, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, and sludge floc properties, which were characterized using fluorescence microscopy. The results revealed that QQ intervention markedly suppressed quorum sensing (QS), leading to a pronounced, dose-dependent reduction in biofilm thickness, membrane fouling, EPS production and sludge floc size. Biofilm thickness was reduced by 63.5\% on PTFE and 55.4\% on PS membranes, accompanied by a notable reduction in EPS protein and polysaccharides, thereby weakening the biofilm formation and enhancing membrane filterability. Therefore, the permeability performance of the PVDF membrane improved by 338.2\%. Furthermore, sludge settleability was enhanced, and floc size was reduced, resulting in the mitigation of biofilm formation without impacting pollutant degradation. These findings elucidate the material-dependent and dose-responsive mechanism by which QQ regulates EPS synthesis and biofilm formation in MBR.}, subject = {Membrane bioreactor (MBR); Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); Polysulfones (PSs); Extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs)}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Saadi2025, author = {Saadi, Ibtissam}, title = {Improving facial expression recognition in realistic environments using deep learning approaches}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7317}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73178}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Facial expressions are vital channels of non-verbal communication, conveying rich information about emotional and cognitive states in social interactions. Enabling intelligent systems to automatically recognize these expressions makes Facial Expression Recognition (FER) a key task in affective computing. Despite significant progress, existing FER methods still face limitations in effectively and efficiently recognizing facial expressions under real-world conditions, such as those found in driving environments or dynamic, in-the-wild scenarios. This thesis addresses these challenges by proposing several novel deep learning-based models that improve the performance, robustness, and efficiency of FER systems. To this end, several contributions are presented. The work begins with a comprehensive review of FER, highlighting persistent challenges in the field, particularly within the driving context. Subsequently, DFER-GCViT, a Vision Transformer-based architecture tailored for driver FER, is introduced to improve recognition accuracy under conditions of occlusion, pose variation, and lighting changes. To enhance computational efficiency, ShuffViT-DFER is proposed, a lightweight hybrid model that combines convolutional and transformer-based pretrained networks. Furthermore, multimodal approaches are explored using Vision-Language Models (VLMs), particularly CLIP. CLIVP-FER is developed to integrate visual and textual features, enhancing semantic understanding in the driving context. The research then shifts toward general dynamic FER, leveraging parameter-efficient fine-tuning and temporal modeling of CLIP, and maintains strong performance with reduced computational cost through the proposed PE-CLIP. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed models across diverse and challenging conditions. The results underscore the importance of optimizing architectures, incorporating multimodal cues, and enabling lightweight FER systems suitable for practical deployment.}, subject = {Gesichtserkennung; Emotionserkennung; FER; Dynamische FER; Deep learning; Facial expression recognition; Emotion recognition; Driving context; Dynamic FER; Gesichtserkennung; Deep Learning; Autofahren; Modellierung; Multimodales System}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-7252, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,07 (25.03.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7252}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72529}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Satzung zur Vergabe von Stipendien nach dem Stipendienprogramm-Gesetz (Deutschlandstipendien) vom 10. M{\"a}rz 2026}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Acquah2025, author = {Acquah, Michael}, title = {Tracking electricity access for sustainable rural electrification management : the case of mini-grid experience in Pediatorkope Island, Ghana}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7282}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72822}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2025}, abstract = {The principal aim of the study was to develop people-centered strategies for sustainable management of rural electrification that is based on the experience of a rural livelihood in Ghana. The concurrent mixed methods were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data through interviews with sector experts, key informants and community members regarding the delivery, management and usage of electricity. The hybrid mini-grid electricity supply in Pediatorkope, an Island community in Ghana, was adopted as a case of rural electrification for this study. Seven experts (including heads of institutions, agencies and departments), seven community participants and 120 heads of households were surveyed through the administration of semi-structured questionnaire to retrieve the requisite data. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically with 2019 NVivo. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data in this study. Analysis such as central tendency including mean, median, maximum, minimum and percentiles were covered. Multi-dimensional analysis, principal component analysis, bivariate analysis standard deviations and frequency analysis were also carried out to ascertain the details of tiers of access to electricity, demographic characteristics of participants and attributes of electricity supply. The results reveal four level of institutional engagement and five stages of policy and regulatory growth from the colonial past to the sustainable era that have shaped the development of rural electrification in Ghana. Two categories of uses of electricity were identified as basic and regular services. Furthermore, exchange value, use value and sign values were identified as important value strands for application in rural electrification. Even though the mini-grid system was designed to allow Tier 5 of electricity access, the quantitative results revealed that the highest experience of access in the community was Tier 4 with the overall access rate of 35\%. Supply side attributes such as capacity of supply, availability of supply and reliability affected access and usage of electricity in the community. Demand side issues identified were misuse of appliance and tariffs misapplication due to non-management of energy culture transition and characteristic additive nature of electricity demand and usage. The various findings based on the experience of electricity usage were consolidated in a proposed model known as multi-value mini-grid to address the identified challenges associated with the use of electricity services from the mini-grid. The multi-value mini-grid, as the name suggests, provides more than one value in a simplified model to meet the different energy needs of higher population of end-users with multiple streams of revenue generation, which enhances the financial feasibility of mini-grids and the livelihoods of the people.}, subject = {Rural electrification; Mini-grid; Sustainable livelihoods; Nationally determined contributions; Pediatorkope Island; L{\"a}ndliche Elektrifizierung; Mini-Grid; Nachhaltige Lebensgrundlagen; National festgelegte Beitr{\"a}ge; Ghana; Ghana; L{\"a}ndliche Entwicklung; Elektrifizierung; Nachhaltigkeit}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Putze2026, author = {Putze, Philip}, title = {Screw dislocation-driven growth of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide nanostructures by chemical vapour transport}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7302}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73028}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Screw dislocation-driven growth of nanostructures of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can feature special physical behaviour like unconventional superconductivity and Moir{\´e} excitons. Three of the outstanding representatives of TMDs are WSe₂, MoSe₂, and WS₂ as they can exhibit intriguing new size- and shape-depended properties compared to its bulk counterpart. Crystal growth control in nanostructures is central for exploiting their structure-related properties. However, bottom-up syntheses of 2D TMDs usually contain 'trial and error' approaches. This work addresses the rational synthesis planning and realizing for the binary systems W:Se, Mo:Se and W:S to achieve nanosized flakes by chemical vapor transport (CVT). For that purpose, key parameters for the CVT were modelled based on thermodynamic datasets and transferred into actual experiments. Regarding WSe₂, crystal growth by CVT under addition of SeCl₄ succeeds for bulk-WSe₂ from 900 °C to 820 °C with a dwell time of 72 h. High-crystalline, right-handed spirals with step heights of around 10 nm are obtained from 850 °C to 800 °C with a dwell time of 60 min, while left-handed spirals occur from 915 °C to 860 °C. These characteristics are linked to theoretical considerations. The terrace widths correlate linearly to the supersaturation condition during the crystal growth, which is represented by the temperature-depended equilibrium constant. Chirality of WSe₂ with screw dislocation-driven growth was investigated by circular-polarised Raman Spectroscopy and showed an intensity increase up to 29 \% for the E¹₂ᶢ mode. For MoSe₂, the primary choice of substrate dictates the resulting crystal shapes. Under essentially identical growth conditions, i.e., 710 °C → 685 °C and a dwell time of 30 min, SiO₂@Al₂O₃(0001) substrates can be used for the controlled precipitation of both hexagonally and triangular shaped nano-MoSe₂. Compared to that, SiO₂@Si(100) substrates enable the growth of predominantly triangular crystals. Individual steps vary from 0.9 nm to 2.9 nm. Nano-MoSe₂ exhibits a twist angles sequence of ca. 5°. Additionally, a twist angle of 19° can be obtained with respect to the [010] zone axis. Supertwisted WS₂ flakes occur from 810 °C to 770 °C under addition of WCl₄(s) and a dwell time of 40 min, while the bulk counterpart in the 2H modification can be obtained from 1030 °C to 950 °C with a dwell time of 96 h. Tailored non-Euclidean Si(100) substrate surfaces with seeded SiO₂ nanoparticles induce WS₂ spirals with twist angles of - 19° for right-handed spirals with individual step heights in the monolayer range.}, subject = {Screw dislocation; 2D materials; CVT; Rational synthesis; Chiral nanostructures; Schraubenversetzung; 2D Materialien; Rationale Synthese; Chirale Nanostrukturen; Schraubenversetzung; Zweidimensionales Material; Chiralit{\"a}t ; {\"U}bergangsmetalldichalkogenide; Syntheseplanung; Wolfram; Molybd{\"a}n; Selen; Schwefel}, language = {en} } @article{AlipoursarbaniTidemanLopezetal.2026, author = {Alipoursarbani, Mozhdeh and Tideman, Jeroen and L{\´o}pez, Mitzy and Abendroth, Christian}, title = {Bioaugmentation in anaerobic digesters : a systematic review}, volume = {19}, publisher = {BMC}, address = {London}, issn = {2731-3654}, doi = {10.1186/s13068-026-02746-6}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Bioaugmentation, the intentional introduction of specific microorganisms into anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, has shown promise in enhancing methane production and in mitigating stressful conditions, particularly in systems operating below optimal performance. This review presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of research on bioaugmentation in AD. This review identified and analysed studies meeting predefined eligibility criteria through a structured methodology involving research protocol, search, appraisal, synthesis, analysis, and reporting. A notable innovation of this review is its comprehensive critical comparison of different controls used in bioaugmentation studies, which has been inadequately addressed in previous literature. To facilitate the functional understanding, strains for bioaugmentation were grouped into the four phases of anaerobic digestion (hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis). A highly diverse set of microbes has been described for bioaugmentation, especially from the families Clostridiaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Syntrophomonadaceae. Most works are related to hydrolysis. The few works that address acidogenesis are mostly related to dark fermentation. Several studies used methanogenic archaea as well as syntrophic acetate oxidising bacteria, despite the difficulties in culturing them. On the other hand, studies applying strains for acetogenesis were largely underrepresented. Especially works on syntrophic propionate and butyrate oxidation (SPO and SBO) were missing.}, subject = {Bioaugmentation; Anaerobic digestion; Biogas plants; Microorganisms; Microbiomes}, language = {en} } @article{SchwickertGrenzdoerffer2026, author = {Schwickert, Samantha and Grenzd{\"o}rffer, Sinje}, title = {Cycles of (in)visibility : evolvements, constancies, and frictions of menstrual cycles at work}, series = {Frontiers in Sociology}, volume = {11}, journal = {Frontiers in Sociology}, publisher = {Frontiers}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {2297-7775}, doi = {10.3389/fsoc.2026.1642858}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Around half of all working bodies experience a menstrual cycle for a significant part of their (working) lives, followed by (peri-)menopause. Yet, the implications of cyclic embodiment and bodily transitions remain well-concealed, stigmatized, and insufficiently integrated into work organization. Theoretically positioned within critical menstruation research with focus on work organization, our study enhances existing research by offering a cyclic perspective which considers the whole menstrual cycle, including changing symptoms over time and the transition to (peri-)menopause. For this purpose, we carried out a longitudinal study (2021-2025) to explore and evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle on the professional lives of women and people with menstrual cycles (WPMC) in Germany. Insights from qualitative interviews and action research workshops during this time period are supplemented by expert perspectives from Germany, Belgium, Ireland and Spain. The results are organized alongside a differentiation between three spheres (1) individual sphere, (2) organizational sphere, (3) societal sphere. We find that growing awareness, generational shifts, and feminist practices are slowly opening spaces for cycle-sensitive and more caring work cultures, despite ongoing stigma, resistant structural barriers, and anticipated backlashes. Moreover, this change is largely individualised, which risks burdening WPMC with the additional work of finding solutions for cyclic symptoms within ongoing linear, meritocratic work structures. By changing the default linear perspective to a cyclic one, we frame the menstrual cycle as a collective workplace issue rather than an individual inconvenience or problem and advocate for policy reforms. This perspective foregrounds a more holistic understanding of work organization that accounts for diverse and changing body realities.}, subject = {Critical menstruation studies; Feminism; Gender; Menstrual Cycle; Menstruation and work}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-7251, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,06 (09.03.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7251}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72511}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Bekanntmachung {\"u}ber die Aufhebung von Studieng{\"a}ngen - Bauen und Erhalten (M.Sc.) - Elektrotechnik (M.Eng.) - K{\"u}nstliche Intelligenz Technologie (B.Sc.) - K{\"u}nstliche Intelligenz Technologie (M.Sc.) - Leichtbau und Werkstofftechnologie (M.Sc.)}, language = {de} } @techreport{OPUS4-7289, type = {Working Paper}, title = {Bazar Abbas : a recovery lab for Port Said ; built heritage, collective memory, and urban rehabilitation}, editor = {Zarrin Ghalam, Sepideh}, isbn = {2941-7406}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7289}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72895}, year = {2026}, abstract = {This publication documents the processes and findings of the 'Bazar Abbas: Recovery Lab of Port Said', a pilot initiative addressing the deterioration of Port Said's historic urban landscape. By presenting these results, the publication aims to raise awareness of the city's urban heritage and stimulate a broader discussion on sustainable recovery strategies. Founded as a cosmopolitan hub after the construction of the Suez Canal, Port Said's dual urban structure represents a distinctive architectural and urban heritage. Founded as a cosmopolitan hub after the construction of the Suez Canal, Port Said's dual urban structure represents a distinctive, yet vulnerable, architectural and urban heritage. The city's urban fabric was profoundly shaped by successive wars and forced displacement following the post-colonial transition. Despite the profound impact of these events, however, Port Said has lacked a comprehensive recovery framework to address the resulting damage. Instead, the historic core has faced institutional neglect, with its heritage caught between shifting priorities and chronic underfunding. Today, the city is grappling with historical trauma and physical decay, as well as a development strategy that disconnects heritage from contemporary growth. In response, the Recovery Lab acts as a platform for exploration, bridging the gap between academic research and professional practice. Using the Bazar Abbas building as a living laboratory, the project has evolved from theoretical study to the implementation of site-specific pilot interventions. The Lab has tested a multidisciplinary toolbox ranging from 3D laser scanning to participatory engagement to demonstrate how tangible recovery can be achieved despite limited resources and archival gaps. Ultimately, this volume argues that cities with complex, layered histories require an incremental, tactical approach to rehabilitation. This methodology directly addresses intertwined challenges, including restricted funding, fragmented decision-making, and administrative hurdles. By treating heritage as a vital social asset and adopting a learning-by-doing approach, the Lab overcomes institutional paralysis to deliver results. This framework offers a resilient regeneration alternative that is grounded in the practical realities of Port Said and the collective agency of its residents.}, subject = {Port Said; Bazar Abbas; Stadterneuerung; Gemeinschaftsorientierte Sanierung; Urban recovery; Urban narratives; Community-centred rehabilitation; Port Said; Stadtsanierung; Stadtkern; St{\"a}dtebau; Geschichte; Urbane Narrative}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Alfeus2026, author = {Alfeus, Martha}, title = {Rangeland improvement and biodiversity conservation through bush encroachment control in Southern Africa, Namibia}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7306}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-73064}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Biodiversity underpins ecosystem stability, resilience, and the delivery of ecological services essential to human well-being. However, global biodiversity is declining at unprecedented rates due to land-use change, habitat degradation, and climate variability. In arid and semi-arid savannahs, where ecosystems are constrained by resource scarcity these pressures intensify through bush encroachment, the densification of woody vegetation displacing grasslands. This shift undermines rangeland productivity, alters vegetation structure, and reshapes biodiversity patterns. While vegetation and livestock responses are well-studied, implications for invertebrate biodiversity, particularly arthropods as functionally critical taxa, remain underexplored. This thesis bridges these gaps via three interconnected objectives linking data integrity, ecological patterns, and management interventions in Namibian savannahs. The first assesses arthropod biodiversity data quality across global platforms (iNaturalist, GBIF) and the Namibian Biodiversity Database. Recognition (species-level identifications) and completeness (species coverage) vary markedly by arthropod order, influenced by detectability, morphology, and familiarity. Global datasets provide baselines, but national databases are vital for accuracy, advocating integrated frameworks to strengthen monitoring, conservation, and citizen science. The second study investigates effects of dominant encroaching shrubs, Dichrostachys cinerea, Senegalia mellifera, and Terminalia sericea on arthropod communities across canopy, aerial, and ground strata in wet/dry seasons. Sampling via pitfall, pan, and beating traps revealed shrub-specific compositional shifts, driven by canopy taxa. S. mellifera favoured omnivore guilds and D. cinerea favoured phytophagous. Abundance increased with ground cover but fell with woody density, highlighting habitat heterogeneity's role in sustaining diversity amid encroachment. The third objective evaluates bush thinning management practice: manual/chemical treatments at 50\% (moderate) and 100\% (complete) intensities. Moderate manual thinning boosted arthropod abundance, richness, and functional diversity versus complete/chemical options. Pollinators, herbivores, decomposers, and predators thrived under partial shrub thinning, preserving heterogeneity; while chemical clearing suppressed sensitive groups like Auchenorrhyncha, Opiliones, and Coccinellidae. Soil properties, including pH and nutrient concentrations, further modified arthropod responses across shrub species. In summary, the thesis presents a framework for arthropod conservation based on three pillars: robust data systems, vegetation-arthropod ecology, and balanced rangeland management that restores grasslands (e.g. 50\% moderate manual shrub thinning) without causing arthropod biodiversity loss. Integrating informatics, community ecology, and restoration advances dryland resilience in African savannahs and rangeland ecosystems.}, subject = {Arthropod biodiversity; Citizen science; Rangeland restoration; Shrub thinning; Namibia biodiversity; Arthropoden; Biodiversit{\"a}t; Namibia; Weidefl{\"a}chenrestaurierung; Strauchverj{\"u}ngung; Namibia; Trockensavanne; Weide ; Gliederf{\"u}ßer; Artenreichtum; Landschafts{\"o}kologie}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{ReyesPacheco2026, author = {Reyes Pacheco, Juan-Francisco}, title = {Explaining large language models for passage-level political statement extraction using linguistic rule-based models}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7293}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72930}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2026}, abstract = {The complexity of processing the language in political discourse presents a challenge due to its ambiguity and nuance. However, the growing volume of digital political content and the proven efficiency of Large Language Models (LLMs) in processing and "understanding" such statements presents an opportunity to explore new approaches. Therefore, the automatic extraction of coherent political statements at the passage level is an opportune task in the current era of increasing digitization of political discourse. This research addresses the problem of accurately extracting "relevant" political statements. Moving beyond traditional rule-based information extraction (IE) techniques, we propose a Natural Language Processing (NLP) pipeline composed of state-of-the-art LLMs. Given the opaque nature of Transformer models and the need for AI transparency — moreover, within the intricate nature of political language — this thesis develops an approach based on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) tools to explain LLM classification behavior from a linguistic perspective across the pipeline's NLP tasks. The empirical approach is structured around three specific NLP challenges, addressed in dedicated papers: (1) Text Genre Classification, employing a BERT model to distinguish between speeches and interviews based on the number of speakers, thereby addressing text genre identification and filtering; (2) Stance Classification, utilizing a few-shot learning model (SetFit) for binary classification of stance expressions, enhancing the detection of relevant political statements; and (3) Topic Continuity Analysis, using Sentence Pair Modeling (SPM) and BERT to analyze topic continuity between sentence pairs, ensuring the coherence of extracted passages. This research enhances explainability across these challenges by combining linguistic rule-based models (LRBMs) with contemporary explainability tools like SHAP and Transformers Interpret. By leveraging corpus linguistics, tailored lexicons, and lexicogrammatical rules, our research adds transparency to LLMs' decision-making processes, bridging traditional linguistic theories with modern neural models. Likewise, although not the primary focus, our research emphasized model performance, consequently increasing the accuracy of their explanatory capacity. For each challenge, ad hoc datasets focused on American political discourse in English were created. LRBMs played a crucial role in feature engineering and dataset annotation, further improving the explainability and performance of XAI tools. Fusing linguistic insight with neural outputs allowed for granular token-level analysis of morphosyntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features, offering a novel contribution by aligning outputs with established linguistic theories. This thesis advances the understanding of LLM explainability by approaching the extraction of relevant political statements from a linguistically grounded framework.}, subject = {Large language models; Information extraction; NLP; Politics; Discourse analysis; XAI; Politik; Diskursanalyse; LLM; Explainable artificial intelligence; Politik; Diskursanalyse; Großes Sprachmodell; Automatische Sprachanalyse; Erkl{\"a}rbare K{\"u}nstliche Intelligenz}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Hady2025, author = {Hady, Mohamed Elfatih Ahmed Omer}, title = {Stochastic optimal control of occupational pension funds}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7286}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-72867}, school = {BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg}, year = {2025}, abstract = {In this dissertation, we consider occupational pension funds that are set up by a company for its employees. A special feature of such pension funds is that the collectives of insured individuals are typically smaller, and benefit payments depend on the seniority and salary of the insured. Therefore, fluctuations over time in the composition of the collective of insured persons in terms of age, length of service, and salary cannot be ignored when calculating the actuarial liabilities and the company's financial contributions to the fund. We describe the stochastic dynamics of the composition of the collective of insured individuals by a discrete-time Markov chain model. This allows us to derive the dynamics of the expected aggregated actuarial liabilities for all insured individuals of the collective as a functional of the Markov chain. They are then approximated by mean-reverting processes, which facilitate the formulation of stochastic optimal control problems that arise in the cost-optimal management of occupational pension funds. Here, the objective is to invest the fund's capital in a financial market such that the expected net present value of all future contributions to the fund is minimized. The resulting optimal funding problem is studied under additional constraints that capture the obligations imposed by a regulator. They are intended to ensure that the fund capital is always sufficient to finance current benefit payments and future actuarial obligations. This problem is analyzed firstly under additional dynamic risk constraints and secondly under tracking constraints, which are included in the performance criterion with the help of penalties. While the risk constraints aim to keep the fund assets above the actuarial liabilities, the tracking constraints aim to keep these assets as close as possible to the liabilities. The resulting discrete-time stochastic optimal control problems are treated as Markov decision processes (MDPs). The corresponding Bellman equation for the value function is solved numerically using a backward recursion algorithm. We present the results of extensive numerical experiments showing the properties of the value function and the optimal decision rules, as well as their dependence on the various risk constraints.}, subject = {Occupational pension fund; Stochastic optimal control; Markov chain model; Actuarial liabilities; Dynamic risk constraints; Betriebliche Altersvorsorge; Stochastische optimale Steuerung; Markovketten-Modell; Versicherungsmathematischen Verpflichtungen; Dynamische Risikobeschr{\"a}nkung; Betriebliche Altersversorgung; Versicherungsmathematik; Markov-Kette}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-7100, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,05 (02.03.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7100}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-71002}, year = {2026}, abstract = {1. Erste {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Master-Studiengang Leichtbau und Werkstofftechnologie (M.Sc.) vom 26. Februar 2026 2. Lesefassung: Fachspezifische Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Master-Studiengang Leichtbau und Werkstofftechnologie (M.Sc.) vom 28. August 2023 (AMbl. 13/2023) i. d. F. der Ersten {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Master-Studiengang Leichtbau und Werkstofftechnologie (M.Sc.) vom 26. Februar 2026}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-7099, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,04 (02.03.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7099}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-70995}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Neufassung der fachspezifischen Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelor-Studiengang Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen (B.Sc.) vom 26. Februar 2026}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-7098, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,03 (27.02.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7098}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-70989}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Neufassung der fachspezifischen Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelor-Studiengang Instrumental- und Gesangsp{\"a}dagogik (B.Mus.) vom 26. Februar 2026}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-7097, title = {Amtliches Mitteilungsblatt der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, 2026,02 (27.02.2026)}, doi = {10.26127/BTUOpen-7097}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:co1-opus4-70979}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Neufassung der fachspezifischen Pr{\"u}fungs- und Studienordnung f{\"u}r den Master-Studiengang Hybrid Electric Propulsion Technology M.Sc. vom 26. Februar 2026}, language = {de} } @article{PillingBaehrWunderlich2026, author = {Pilling, Eric and B{\"a}hr, Martin and Wunderlich, Ralf}, title = {Reinforcement learning methods for the stochastic optimal control of an industrial power-to-heat system}, series = {Energies}, volume = {19}, journal = {Energies}, number = {4}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1996-1073}, doi = {10.3390/en19041046}, year = {2026}, abstract = {The optimal control of sustainable energy supply systems, including renewable energies and energy storage, takes a central role in the decarbonization of industrial systems. However, the use of fluctuating renewable energies leads to fluctuations in energy generation and requires a suitable control strategy for the complex systems in order to ensure energy supply. In this paper, we consider an electrified power-to-heat system which is designed to supply heat in the form of superheated steam for industrial processes. The system consists of a high-temperature heat pump for heat supply, a wind turbine for power generation, a sensible thermal energy storage for storing excess heat, and a steam generator for providing steam. If the system's energy demand cannot be covered by electricity from the wind turbine, additional electricity must be purchased from the power grid. For this system, we investigate the cost-optimal operation, aiming to minimize the electricity cost from the grid by a suitable system control depending on the available wind power and the amount of stored thermal energy. This is a decision-making problem under uncertainty regarding the future prices for electricity from the grid and the future generation of wind power. The resulting stochastic optimal control problem is treated as finite-horizon Markov decision process for a multi-dimensional controlled state process. We first consider the classical backward recursion technique for solving the associated dynamic programming equation for the value function and compute the optimal decision rule. Since that approach suffers from the curse of dimensionality, we also apply reinforcement learning techniques, namely Q-learning, that are able to provide a good approximate solution to the optimization problem within reasonable time.}, subject = {Stochastic optimal control; Markov decision process; Dynamic programming; Q-learning; Power-to-heat system}, language = {en} } @article{DjoudiAmosseAvironetal.2026, author = {Djoudi, El Aziz and Amoss{\´e}, Ewen and Aviron, St{\´e}phanie and Birkhofer, Klaus and Libereau, Benjamin and Plantegenest, Manuel and P{\´e}tillon, Julien}, title = {Multi‑trophic arthropod communities modulated by local farming system and landscape heterogeneity}, series = {Landscape Ecology}, volume = {41}, journal = {Landscape Ecology}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, address = {Berlin}, issn = {1572-9761}, doi = {10.1007/s10980-026-02298-y}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Organic farming is increasingly used worldwide in recent decades, but the role of this farming system in shaping the trophic structure of arthropod communities remains poorly understood, especially at different spatial scales. Therefore, the contribution of landscape heterogeneity in shaping arthropod's trophic guilds remain understudied. In this study, we assessed how the evenness, the abundance and the taxonomic richness of arthropod trophic groups were shaped by the local farming system, landscape heterogeneity (including the percentage of semi-natural habitats and organic fields), and their interaction. Arthropod's trophic guilds (ground and vegetation-dwelling) were sampled in 20 spatial independent pairs of conventional (CF) and organic (OF) fields located in Brittany (Western France) by using pitfall traps and sweep nets replicated in time and space. A total of 95,822 arthropods belonging to 197 taxonomic groups were sampled. Farming system has a strong overall positive effect on the community structure of both ground- and vegetation-dwelling arthropods. Landscape heterogeneity, alone and in interaction with farming systems, affected positively the diversity and abundance of most trophic groups for both ground- and vegetation-dwelling arthropods. Organic farming therefore affected the trophic composition of arthropod communities not only locally, but also at the landscape scale. Our study highlights the strong positive effect of farming system and the landscape heterogeneity on arthropod communities and more importantly the interconnection between different spatial scales in this process. Taking these aspects into account is therefore crucial in understanding arthropod community dynamics in agroecosystems.}, subject = {Agroecology; Agricultural geography; Biodiversity; Landscape ecology; Organic farming}, language = {en} }