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Background:
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare, genetic, neurodegenerative and ultimately fatal disease with no cure or progression-delaying treatment currently available. HD is characterized by a triad of cognitive, behavioural and motor symptoms. Evidence on epidemiology and management of HD is limited, especially for Germany. This study aims to estimate the incidence and prevalence of HD and analyze the current routine care based on German claims data.
Methods:
The source of data was a sample of the Institute for Applied Health Research Berlin (InGef) Research Database, comprising data of approximately four million insured persons from approximately 70 German statutory health insurances. The study was conducted in a retrospective cross-sectional design using 2015 and 2016 as a two-year observation period. At least two outpatient or inpatient ICD-10 codes for HD (ICD-10: G10) during the study period were required for case identification. Patients were considered incident if no HD diagnoses in the 4 years prior to the year of case identification were documented. Information on outpatient drug dispensations, medical aids and remedies were considered to describe the current treatment situation of HD patients.
Results:
A 2-year incidence of 1.8 per 100,000 persons (95%-Confidence interval (CI): 1.4–2.4) and a 2-year period prevalence of 9.3 per 100,000 persons (95%-CI: 8.3–10.4) was observed. The prevalence of HD increased with advancing age, peaking at 60–69 years (16.8 per 100,000 persons; 95%-CI: 13.4–21.0) and decreasing afterwards.
The most frequently observed comorbidities and disease-associated symptoms in HD patients were depression (42.9%), dementia (37.7%), urinary incontinence (32.5%), extrapyramidal and movement disorders (30.5%), dysphagia (28.6%) and disorders of the lipoprotein metabolism (28.2%).
The most common medications in HD patients were antipsychotics (66.9%), followed by antidepressants (45.1%). Anticonvulsants (16.6%), opioids (14.6%) and hypnotics (9.7%) were observed less frequently.
Physical therapy was the most often used medical aid in HD patients (46.4%). Nursing services and speech therapy were used by 27.9 and 22.7% of HD patients, respectively, whereas use of psychotherapy was rare (3.2%).
Conclusions:
Based on a representative sample, this study provides new insights into the epidemiology and routine care of HD patients in Germany, and thus, may serve as a starting point for further research.
Background
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Estimation of incidence, prevalence and disease burden through routine insurance data is challenging because of under-diagnosis and under-treatment, particularly for early stage disease in health care systems where outpatient International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnoses are not collected. This poses the question of which criteria are commonly applied to identify COPD patients in claims datasets in the absence of ICD diagnoses, and which information can be used as a substitute. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize previously reported methodological approaches for the identification of COPD patients through routine data and to compile potential criteria for the identification of COPD patients if ICD codes are not available.
Methods
A systematic literature review was performed in Medline via PubMed and Google Scholar from January 2000 through October 2018, followed by a manual review of the included studies by at least two independent raters. Study characteristics and all identifying criteria used in the studies were systematically extracted from the publications, categorized, and compiled in evidence tables.
Results
In total, the systematic search yielded 151 publications. After title and abstract screening, 38 publications were included into the systematic assessment. In these studies, the most frequently used (22/38) criteria set to identify COPD patients included ICD codes, hospitalization, and ambulatory visits. Only four out of 38 studies used methods other than ICD coding. In a significant proportion of studies, the age range of the target population (33/38) and hospitalization (30/38) were provided. Ambulatory data were included in 24, physician claims in 22, and pharmaceutical data in 18 studies. Only five studies used spirometry, two used surgery and one used oxygen therapy.
Conclusions
A variety of different criteria is used for the identification of COPD from routine data. The most promising criteria set in data environments where ambulatory diagnosis codes are lacking is the consideration of additional illness-related information with special attention to pharmacotherapy data. Further health services research should focus on the application of more systematic internal and/or external validation approaches.
Eine durch die Digitalisierung veränderte und auf Open Science ausgerichtete Wissenschaftspraxis benötigt angepasste Infrastrukturen und Services. Daraus ergeben sich verschiedene neue oder veränderte Aktionsfelder für wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken und Infrastruktureinrichtungen. Zu nennen sind zum Beispiel die nicht-textuellen Materialien wie Forschungsdaten, AV-Medien oder Software und die Umsetzung der FAIR-Prinzipien. Hinzu kommen neue Aufgaben im Bereich der Forschungsinformationen, zum Beispiel in der Unterstützung institutioneller Forschungsinformationssysteme, die Gestaltung von Open Access, die Unterstützung kollaborativen wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens sowie die Schaffung von offenen Infrastrukturen. In diesem Artikel werden diese Felder kurz vorgestellt und sich daraus abzeichnende Anforderungen an das bibliothekarische Berufsbild skizziert.
Nitric oxide adsorption on a Au(100) single crystal has been investigated to identify the type of adsorption, the adsorption site, and the orientation and alignment of the adsorbed NO relative to the surface. This was done using a combination of 3D-surface velocity map imaging, near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory. NO was observed to be molecularly adsorbed on gold at ~200 K. Very narrow angular distributions and cold rotational distributions of photodesorbed NO indicate that NO adsorbs on high-symmetry sites on the Au crystal, with the N–O bond axis close to the surface normal. Our density functional theory calculations show that NO preferentially adsorbs on the symmetric bridge (2f) site, which ensures efficient overlap of the NO π* orbital with the orbitals on the two neighbouring Au atoms, and with the N–O bond axis aligned along the surface normal, in agreement with our conclusions from the rotational state distributions. The combination of XPS, which reveals the orientation of NO on gold, with 3D-surface velocity map imaging and density functional theory thus allowed us to determine the adsorption site, orientation and alignment of nitric oxide adsorbed on Au(100).
Die Digitalisierung der Geisteswissenschaften eröffnet Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern unter anderem neue Möglichkeiten des kollaborativen Arbeitens, des offenen Publizierens oder der direkten und öffentlichkeitswirksamen Wissenskommunikation. Auch die Literaturrecherche als ein Grundpfeiler wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens erfährt schon seit Jahren einen stetigen Wandel. Bibliotheken befinden sich als Anbieter von Literatur, Medien und Rechercheinstrumenten in einem Spannungsfeld: Die Kerntätigkeitsbereiche der Erwerbung sowie der Vermittlung von Informationskompetenz unterliegen auch aufgrund der zunehmenden Digitalisierung veränderten Rahmenbedingungen, die meistens außerhalb der Reichweite der lokalen Bibliothek liegen. Diese Bedingungen beeinflussen sowohl die Tätigkeiten des Bibliothekspersonals als auch die Informationsversorgung der Bibliothekskundinnen und -kunden stark.
In diesem Artikel soll mit Bezug auf eine Universitätsbibliothek mittlerer Größe und mit Blick auf eine ihrer wichtigsten Zielgruppen, nämlich die der Studierenden, dargestellt werden, wie sich im Zuge der zunehmenden Digitalisierung Fragen der Erwerbungspolitik und unterschiedliche Wege der Literaturrecherche auf das wissenschaftliche Arbeiten auswirken. Ein besonderes
Augenmerk gilt dabei dem Bestandsaufbau im Fachreferat Germanistik im Gefüge der an der Universität zu versorgenden Fächer. An der Schnittstelle zu Forschung, Lehre und Studium sind es die Fachreferentinnen und Fachreferenten der Bibliothek, die sowohl die Rahmenbedingungen als auch die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten der Literaturrecherche proaktiv vermitteln müssen.
Targeted panel sequencing in pediatric primary cardiomyopathy supports a critical role of TNNI3
(2019)
The underlying genetic mechanisms and early pathological events of children with primary cardiomyopathy (CMP) are insufficiently characterized. In this study, we aimed to characterize the mutational spectrum of primary CMP in a large cohort of patients ≤18 years referred to a tertiary center. Eighty unrelated index patients with pediatric primary CMP underwent genetic testing with a panel-based next-generation sequencing approach of 89 genes. At least one pathogenic or probably pathogenic variant was identified in 30/80 (38%) index patients. In all CMP subgroups, patients carried most frequently variants of interest in sarcomere genes suggesting them as a major contributor in pediatric primary CMP. In MYH7, MYBPC3, and TNNI3, we identified 18 pathogenic/probably pathogenic variants (MYH7 n = 7, MYBPC3 n = 6, TNNI3 n = 5, including one homozygous (TNNI3 c.24+2T>A) truncating variant. Protein and transcript level analysis on heart biopsies from individuals with homozygous mutation of TNNI3 revealed that the TNNI3 protein is absent and associated with upregulation of the fetal isoform TNNI1. The present study further supports the clinical importance of sarcomeric mutation-not only in adult-but also in pediatric primary CMP. TNNI3 is the third most important disease gene in this cohort and complete loss of TNNI3 leads to severe pediatric CMP.
Background:
Promoting patient and occupational safety are two key challenges for hospitals. When aiming to improve these two outcomes synergistically, psychosocial working conditions, leadership by hospital management and supervisors, and perceptions of patient and occupational safety climate have to be considered. Recent studies have shown that these key topics are interrelated and form a critical foundation for promoting patient and occupational safety in hospitals. So far, these topics have mainly been studied independently from each other. The present study investigated hospital staffs’ perceptions of four different topics: (1) psychosocial working conditions, (2) leadership, (3) patient safety climate, and (4) occupational safety climate. We present results from a survey in two German university hospitals aiming to detect differences between nurses and physicians.
Methods:
We performed a cross-sectional study using a standardized paper-based questionnaire. The survey was conducted with nurses and physicians to assess the four topics. The instruments mainly consisted of scales of the German version of the COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire), one scale of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), scales to assess leadership and transformational leadership, scales to assess patient safety climate using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC), and analogous items to assess occupational safety climate.
Results:
A total of 995 completed questionnaires out of 2512 distributed questionnaires were returned anonymously. The overall response rate was 39.6%. The sample consisted of 381 physicians and 567 nurses. We found various differences with regard to the four topics. In most of the COPSOQ and the HSPSC-scales, physicians rated psychosocial working conditions and patient safety climate more positively than nurses. With regard to occupational safety, nurses
indicated higher occupational risks than physicians.
Conclusions:
The WorkSafeMed study combined the assessment of the four topics psychosocial working conditions, leadership, patient safety climate, and occupational safety climate in hospitals. Looking at the four topics provides an overview of where improvements in hospitals may be needed for nurses and physicians. Based on these results,
improvements in working conditions, patient safety climate, and occupational safety climate are required for health care professionals in German university hospitals – especially for nurses.
Objective
To revise the German guidelines and recommendations for ensuring Good Epidemiological Practice (GEP) that were developed in 1999 by the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEpi), evaluated and revised in 2004, supplemented in 2008, and updated in 2014.
Methods
The executive board of the DGEpi tasked the third revision of the GEP. The revision was arrived as a result of a consensus-building process by a working group of the DGEpi in collaboration with other working groups of the DGEpi and with the German Association for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, the German Society of Social Medicine and Prevention (DGSMP), the German Region of the International Biometric Society (IBS-DR), the German Technology, Methods and Infrastructure for Networked Medical Research (TMF), and the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF). The GEP also refers to related German Good Practice documents (e.g. Health Reporting, Cartographical Practice in the Healthcare System, Secondary Data Analysis).
Results
The working group modified the 11 guidelines (after revision: 1 ethics, 2 research question, 3 study protocol and manual of operations, 4 data protection, 5 sample banks, 6 quality assurance, 7 data storage and documentation, 8 analysis of epidemiological data, 9 contractual framework, 10 interpretation and scientific publication, 11 communication and public health) and modified and supplemented the related recommendations. All participating scientific professional associations adopted the revised GEP.
Conclusions
The revised GEP are addressed to everyone involved in the planning, preparation, execution, analysis, and evaluation of epidemiological research, as well as research institutes and funding bodies.
This feasibility study investigates the flexural properties of biocomposites containing woven flax textiles (plain, twill, satin) and woven twill patterned hybrid textiles containing flax-/glass or flax-/carbon mixture for lightweight applications. Synthetic fibers are integrated as weft and flax fibers are integrated as warp yarns using a double-rapier weaving machine with a Jacquard attachment. The corresponding biocomposites are manufactured via vacuum infusion process using a biobased epoxy resin as a matrix. The manufactured biocomposites are analyzed with regard to their density and flexural properties. The results show that the use of hybrid textiles offers a promising solution for the manufacture of biocomposites with a higher biobased content and significantly improved flexural properties. Furthermore, the introduction of high-performance synthetic fibers in textiles enables the manufacture of biocomposites with an isotropic mechanical performance.
Background: Oral cancers (OC) are malignant lesions occurring in the oral cavity that include squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), salivary gland and odontogenic neoplasms. Even though it is the eighth most common malignancy globally but in Pakistan it is the second commonest type of cancer. Lack of awareness about ill-effects of preventable risk factors of oral cancer increases the burden of disease due to the associated high cost of treatment, permanent impairment and high mortality. Hence, awareness can be very helpful in prevention, control and early diagnosis of oral cancer.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among university students from Karachi, Pakistan during April to May 2018. Three hundred students were approached to participate in the study of which 277 agreed to participate. Pretested questionnaire was distributed and collected data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 23.
Results: There were 125 (45%) males and 152 (55%) females in the study and response rate was 94%. Sixty one percent (154/250) respondents correctly identified smoking, and tobacco chewing as possible causes of oral cancer. Almost one third (74%; 184/250) respondents correctly responded that oral cancer does not spread from person to person through touch or speaking. Sixty six percent (164/250) respondents believed that oral cancer is curable. Mean score of knowledge was higher in females (61%) than males (53%). Significantly higher number of females compared to male participants answered correctly to questions regarding cause of oral cancer, spread of disease and occurrence of oral cancer in AIDS patients.
Conclusions: Participants showed poor knowledge about oral cancer. Female participants showed better knowledge compared to male counterparts. Details about oral cancer should be incorporated in the university curriculum and periodic awareness programs should be organized for students.
Background:
In order to prevent child abuse, instruments measuring child abuse potential (CAP) need to be appropriate, reliable and valid.
Objective:
This study aimed to confirm the 6-factor structure of the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAPI) in a German sample of mothers and fathers, and to examine longitudinal predictors of CAP.
Participants and setting:
Two waves of data were collected from 197 mothers and 191 fathers of children aged 10–21 months for the “Kinder in Deutschland–KiD 0–3” in-depth study. Families were stratified based on prior self-report data for screening purposes.
Methods:
138 fathers and 147 mothers were included in the analysis (invalid: 25% mothers, 30% fathers). First, validity of reporting was examined. Second, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to assess factor structure. Third, internal reliability and criterion validity were examined. Finally, multivariate poisson regressions investigated longitudinal predictors of CAP in mothers.
Results:
A previously established six-factor structure was confirmed for mothers but not fathers. CFA failed for fathers due to large numbers of variables with zero variance. For mothers, internal consistency and criterion validity were good. BCAPI score at follow-up was associated with baseline BCAPI score (β= 00.08), stress (β= 0.06), education (β=-0.19) and alcohol use(β= .58).
Conclusions:
Findings confirm the six-factor structure of the BCAPI among German mothers. The clinical use of the BCAPI in fathers is not recommended as it might produce data that are hard to interpret. Further research with fathers is needed to establish if this is due to limitations with this dataset or with the questionnaire.
Background: Antimicrobial resistance has become a serious global problem. A potential post-antibiotic era is threatening present and future medical advances. In Pakistan, the usage of antibiotic is unnecessarily high and due to over exposure to these drugs, bacteria are developing resistance against these drugs. It is necessary to improve public awareness about the rational use of antibiotics in order to bring a change in consumer’s behaviour. Therefore, present study was undertaken to assess the existing knowledge, attitude and practices related to antibiotic usage among university students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among university students from Karachi, Pakistan during May-June 2018. 200 students were approached to participate in the study of which 159 agreed to participate (males: 70, females: 89). Pretested questionnaire was distributed to the study subjects and the collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.
Results: Substantial number of (33% and 50%) participants were unaware about the differences in antibiotic: anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotic: antipyretics respectively. 29% of the participants thought it is right to stop antibiotics only based on symptomatic improvement. Thirty nine percent and eighty three percent participants believed that antibiotics should always be prescribed to treat flu like symptoms and pneumonia respectively.
Conclusions: Participants demonstrated average knowledge about antibiotics. Similarly, their attitude and practice toward antibiotic use was associated with misconceptions. An educational intervention is necessary to make them aware about rational use of antibiotics.
Background: India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. The Indian epidemic is characterized by low levels in the general population and elevated concentrations among high-risk groups. The present study was planned to determine the awareness of HIV among students from Mumbai University.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among students from Mumbai University, India during May–June 2017. Two hundred and fifty students were approached to participate in the study of which 199 agreed to participate (males: 132; females: 67). Pretested questionnaire was distributed and collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.
Results: Study participants had high knowledge (86%) and attitude score (87%). There was no significant difference between males and female participants for attitude and knowledge, except for one question regarding knowledge about HIV transmission via breastfeeding to child.
Conclusions: Present study showed that there are no misconceptions or negative attitudes regarding HIV among students. A longitudinal study with a larger sample size across India is recommended for further investigation.
The growing importance of social media in the political arena seems to be in line with the mediatization of politics thesis, which states that mediated communication is becoming more important in politics and increasingly influences political processes. However, how politicians’ social media activities and politicians’ perceptions concerning social media have developed over time has rarely been examined. Moreover, it is unclear how the politicians’ activities and perceptions are related to each other. Referring to theoretical approaches, such as the influence of presumed influence approach, four surveys were conducted among German parliamentarians (MPs) between 2012 and 2016 (n = 194/149/170/118). The results indicate that the MPs’ self-reported social media activities and perceptions have remained remarkably constant since 2012. Regression analyses indicate that MPs’ self-reported social media activities and perceptions are hardly related to each other. This raises the question whether mediatization processes are indeed driven by politicians’ perceptions about media influences.
Background
In the past years, it became apparent that health status and performance differ considerably within dairy farms in Northern Germany. In order to obtain clues with respect to possible causes of these differences, a case-control study was performed. Case farms, which showed signs of health and performance problems, and control farms, which had none of these signs, were compared. Risk factors from different areas such as health management, housing, hygiene and nutrition were investigated as these are known to be highly influential. The aim of this study was to identify major factors within these areas that have the strongest association with health and performance problems of dairy herds in Northern Germany.
Results
In the final model, a lower energy density in the roughage fraction of the diet, more pens with dirty lying areas and a low ratio of cows per watering spaces were associated with a higher risk for herd health problems. Moreover, case farms were affected by infections with intestinal parasites, lungworms, liver flukes and Johne’s Disease numerically more often than control farms. Case farms more often had pens with raised cubicles compared to the deep bedded stalls or straw yards found in control farms. In general, the hygiene of the floors and beddings was worse in case farms. Concerning nutrition, the microbiological and sensory quality of the provided silages was often insufficient, even in control farms. Less roughage was provided to early lactating cows and the feed was pushed to the feeding fence less frequently in case farms than in control farms.
Conclusions
The results show that milk yield and health status were associated with various factors from different areas stressing the importance of all aspects of management for good animal health and performance. Moreover, this study confirmed well-known risk factors for health problems and performance losses. These should better be taken heed of in herd health management.
Due to demographic change the number of serious kidney diseases and thus required transplantations will increase. The increased demand for donor organs and a decreasing supply of these organs underline the necessity for effective early rejection diagnostic measures to improve the lifetime of transplants. Expert systems might improve rejection diagnostics but for the development of such systems data models are needed that encompass the relevant information to enable optimal data aggregation and evaluation. Results of a literature review concerning published data models and information systems concerned with kidney transplant rejection diagnostic lead to a set of data elements even if no papers could be identified that publish data models explicitly.
In der philosophischen Ethik wird unterschieden zwischen deskriptiver Ethik, normativer Ethik und Metaethik. In diesem Beitrag steht die normative Ethik im Mittelpunkt. Es soll die Frage erörtert werden, welche ethischen Kriterien für die Praxis von Beratung gelten sollten. Zu diesem Zweck werden zunächst beratungskritische Traditionen angeführt und im Anschluss professionsethische Überlegungen mit Rückgriff auf Impulse aus Foucaults Philosophie angestellt.
Mit Blick auf Cora Baltussens Leben, Wirken und Beratungsverständnis werden die demokratischen, emanzipatorischen und internationalen Wurzeln der Rezeption der Profession Supervision in Deutschland in den 1950er und 1960er Jahren betont. Das ist besonders notwendig angesichts kritischer Weiterentwicklungen von Supervision und Coaching, bei denen die professionsethischen Grundlagenfragen zum Teil aus dem Blick geraten.
Ein Konferenzrückblick:
Das DFG-Forschungskolleg „Postwachstumsgesellschaften“ hatte gemeinsam mit der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie (DGS) zu einer gemeinsamen fünftägigen Konferenz vom 23. bis 27. September 2019 an die Friedrich Schiller-Universität Jena geladen, und rund 700 Wissenschaftler*innen und Studierende kamen aus dem In- und Ausland, um an den rund 150 Veranstaltungen teilzunehmen. Begleitet wurde die Konferenz von einem umfänglichen Kulturprogramm mit Konzerten, Kinofilmen und Kunst, und rechtzeitig zur Konferenz erschien als Tagungsband auch eine lesenswerte 600-seitige Sonderausgabe des Berliner Journals für Soziologie (Dörre et al. 2019).
Das Konferenzprogramm stand einerseits unter der Thematik der „Great Transformation“, also der auf Karl Polanyi (1886-1964) zurückgehenden These einer zunehmenden Vermarktlichung und Verselbstständigung der Wirtschaft gegenüber der Gesellschaft (vgl. Polanyi 1944), die das DFG-Forschungskolleg rund um die Soziologen Klaus Dörre, Hartmut Rosa und Stefan Lessenich als Titel gewählt hat. Andererseits tagten einige Sektionen der DGS als Regionalkonferenz, um sektionsspezifische Panels durchzuführen.
Radioisotope-guided sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) has shown high diagnostic reliability in prostate (PCa) and other cancers. To overcome the limitations of the radioactive tracers, magnetometer-guided sLND using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) has been successfully used in PCa. This prospective study (SentiMag Pro II, DRKS00007671) determined the diagnostic accuracy of magnetometer-guided sLND in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. Fifty intermediate- or high-risk PCa patients (prostate-specific antigen (PSA) >= 10 ng/mL and/or Gleason score >= 7; median PSA 10.8 ng/mL, IQR 7.4–19.2 ng/mL) were enrolled. After the intraprostatic SPIONs injection a day earlier, patients underwent magnetometer-guided sLND and extended lymph node dissection (eLND, followed by radical prostatectomy. SLNs were detected in in vivo and in ex vivo samples. Diagnostic accuracy of sLND was assessed using eLND as the reference. SLNs were detected in all patients (detection rate 100%), with 447 sentinel lymph nodes SLNs (median 9, IQR 6–12) being identified and 966 LNs (median 18, IQR 15–23) being removed. Thirty-six percent (18/50) of patients had LN metastases (median 2, IQR 1–3). Magnetometer-guided sLND had 100% sensitivity, 97.0% specificity, 94.4% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, 0.0% false negative rate, and 3.0% additional diagnostic value (LN metastases only in SLNs outside the eLND template). In vivo, one positive SLN/LN-positive patient was missed, resulting in a sensitivity of 94.4%. In conclusion, this new magnetic sentinel procedure has high accuracy for nodal staging in intermediate- and high-risk PCa. The reliability of intraoperative SLN detection using this magnetometer system requires verification in further multicentric studies.
Systematizing IT Risks
(2019)
IT risks — risks associated with the operation or use of information technology — have taken on great importance in business, and IT risk management is accordingly important in the science and practice of information management. Therefore, it is necessary to systematize IT risks in order to plan, manage and control for different risk-specific measures. In order to choose and implement suitable measures for managing IT risks, effect-based and causebased procedures are necessary. These procedures are explained in detail for IT security risks because of their special importance.
In this study, we investigated injection molded wood-polypropylene composites based on various wood sources and their decay resistance against white rot (Trametes versicolor) and brown rot (Coniophora puteana) in a laboratory test according to EN 15534-1:2014. The manufactured composites consisted of poplar (Populus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), and a commercial wood source (Arbocel® C100), respectively. All formulations were compounded on a co-rotating twin screw extruder and subsequently injection molded to wood–PP specimens with a wood content of 60% or 70% by weight. It was found that the test procedure had a significant effect on the mechanical properties. Loss in mechanical properties was primarily caused by moisture and less by fungal decay. Moisture caused a loss in the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity of 34 to 45% and 29 to 73%, respectively. Mean mass and wood mass losses were up to a maximum of 3.7% and 5.3%, respectively. The high resistance against fungal decay was generally attributed to the encapsulation of wood by the polymer matrix caused by sample preparation, and enhanced by reduced moisture uptake during the preconditioning procedure. Notable differences with respect to the wood particle source and decay fungi were also observed. Structural characterization confirmed the decay pattern of the fungi such as void cavities close the surface and the deposition of calcium oxalates.
Bei der Integration technischer Energiemanagementsysteme (tEnMS) in Automatisierungsanlagen fällt ein hoher Engineering-Aufwand an, besonders für die Steuerungsprogrammierung. Dieser Engineering-Aufwand ist für industrielle Anwender der Hauptgrund, integrierte tEnMS nicht einzusetzen. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes „Integriertes Anlagenengineering zur Erhöhung der Energieeffizienz (IAE4)“ (Förderkennzeichen: ZN2948; Forschungsprofessur des Landes Niedersachsen/Volkswagenstiftung) wurde untersucht, wie sich dieser Engineering-Aufwand reduzieren lässt. Hierzu wurde ein Software-Werkzeug entwickelt, das die benötigten Steuerungsprogramme automatisch aus Engineering-Daten und Gerätebeschreibungsdateien generiert. Dieser Beitrag stellt die Ergebnisse des IAE4-Projektes vor.
Background: Available preliminary data on menopause does not relate changes in body fat mass (BFM) and handgrip strength (HGS) (an indicator of body/muscle strength) to gait parameters.
Objective: To determine the relationship between BFM, HGS and gait parameters, namely, stride length (SL) (an indicator of walking balance/postural stability), stride frequency (SF), and velocity (V) (gait out- put), to guide gait training.
Methods: Ninety consenting (45 postmenopausal and 45 premenopausal) female staffof the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, were randomly selected and assessed for BFM and HGS with a hydration monitor and dynamometer, respectively, in an observational study. The mean of 2 trials of the number of steps and time taken to cover a 10-m distance at normal speed was used to calculate SF, SL, and V. Data were analyzed using an independent t test and a Pearson correlation coefficient at P < 0.05.
Results: Premenopausal (BFM = 42.93% [12.61%], HGS = 27.89 [7.52] kg, stride ratio = 1.43, and velocity = 1.04 [0.01] m/sec) and postmenopausal (BFM = 41.55% [12.71%], HGS = 30.91 [7.07] kg, stride ratio = 1.44, and velocity = 1.06 [0.01] m/sec) women showed no significant differences in gait output/velocity ( t = 0.138; P = 0.89; d = 0.029). At postmenopause, BFM was significantly and negatively ( r = –0.369; r 2 = 0.1362; P = 0.013) correlated with SL, whereas HGS was positively and significantly ( r = 0.323; r 2 = 0.104; P = 0.030) correlated with gait output at premenopause.
Conclusions: BFM may adversely influence walking balance at postmenopause, whereas HGS may enhance gait output at premenopause but not postmenopause. Therefore, muscle strengthening alone may not enhance gait output in postmenopausal women without balance training.
The paper sheds light on the change in the concept of obedience within the Society of Jesus since the 1960s. In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, a so-called crisis of authority and obedience took place in the Catholic Church and the religious orders. As a consequence, the notions of responsibility and conscience came to the fore in the Jesuit definition of obedience. The religious concept of obedience, that is the obedience towards God, was reassessed as a service to humanity. The paper analyzes how the change in the concept of obedience gave rise to the promotion of social justice, which the Society of Jesus proclaimed at General Congregation 32 in 1974/75. By including the promotion of social justice into their central mission, Jesuits not only fundamentally transformed their self-conception, but also their ethical values. The paper argues that the pursuit of social justice became a form of religious obedience.
The topic of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) remains an important aspect during the planning, installation and operation of automation systems. Communication networks, such as PROFIBUS and PROFINET, are known to be robust and reliable transmission systems. Nevertheless, it is important that a number of fundamental principles needs to be observed to ensure fault-free operation over a long plant lifetime. This paper first describes a number of principles of EMC. On the basis of these principles, six recommendations for action are then developed which are to be observed during the planning of an automation system for use in the manufacturing industry. Finally, an overview is provided of future work for systems in the process industry.
Mastitis poses a considerable threat to productivity and to animal welfare on modern dairy farms. However, the common way of antibiotic treatment does not always lead to a cure. Unsuccessful cures can, among other reasons, occur due to biofilm formation of the causative agent. This has attracted interest from researchers to introduce promising alternative therapeutic approaches, such as the use of beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In fact, using LAB for treating mastitis probably requires the formation of a beneficial biofilm by the probiotic bacteria. The present study investigated the ability of five LAB strains, selected on the basis of results from previous studies, to remove and to replace pathogenic biofilms in vitro. For this purpose, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus ATCC 12,600 and two strains—S. xylosus (35/07) and S. epidermidis (575/08)—belonging to the group of coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) were allowed to form biofilms in a 96-well plate. Subsequently, the LAB were added to the well. The biofilm challenge was evaluated by scraping off and suspending the biofilm cells, followed by a plate count of serial dilutions using selective media. All the LAB strains successfully removed the staphylococcal biofilms. However, only Lactobacillus (L.) rhamnosus ATCC 7469 and L. plantarum 2/37 formed biofilms of their own to replace the pathogenic ones.
Background: Compromised immune function, associated with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection, is improved by antiretroviral therapy (ART) which also decreases bone mineral density (BMD), and possibly the quality of life (QoL). However, physical (aerobic/resistance) exercises, were reported to induce reverse effects in uninfected individuals and were appraised in the literature for evidence of similar benefits in people living with HIV/AIDS(PLWHA). The main study objective was to evaluate the impact of physical (aerobic and resistance) exercises on CD4+ count,
BMD and QoL in PLWHA.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration protocol. Searching databases, up to June 2017, only randomized control trials investigating the effects of either aerobic, resistance or a combination of both exercise types with a control/other intervention(s) for a period of at least 4 weeks among adults living with HIV, were included. Two independent reviewers determined the eligibility of the studies. Data were extracted and risk of bias (ROB) was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration ROB tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effect models using the Review Manager (RevMan) computer software.
Results: Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria(n = 491 participants at study completion) comprising male and female with age range 22–66 years. Two meta-analyses across 13 sub-group comparisons were performed. However, there were no RCTs on the impact of physical exercises on BMD in PLWHA. The result showed no significant change in CD4+ count unlike a significant effect of 5.04 point (95%CI:-8.49,-3.74,p = 0.00001) for role activity limitation due to physical health (QoL sub-domain). Overall, the GRADE evidence for this review was of moderate quality.
Conclusions: There was evidence that engaging in moderate intensity aerobic exercises (55–85% Maximum heart rate-MHR), for 30–60 min, two to five times/week for 6–24 weeks significantly improves role activity limitation due to physical health problems, otherwise physical(aerobic or/and resistance) exercises have no significant effects on CD4+ count and other domains of QoL. Also, there is lack of evidence on the impact of exercises on BMD in PLWHA due to the paucity of RCTs. The moderate grade evidence for this review suggests that further research may likely have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effects and may change the estimate.
Das Thema Elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit (EMV) ist noch immer ein wesentlicher Aspekt bei der Planung, bei der Installation und beim Betrieb von Automatisierungssystemen. Kommunikationsnetzwerke wie zum Beispiel PROFIBUS und PROFINET sind als robuste und zuverlässige Übertragungssysteme bekannt. Dennoch ist für deren Funktion die Beachtung einiger grundlegender Prinzipien wichtig, um einen störungsfreien Betrieb über ein langes Anlagenleben zu gewährleisten. Der Beitrag beschreibt zunächst einige Grundlagen der EMV. Basierend auf diesen Grundlagen werden dann sechs Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet, die bei der Planung eines Automatisierungssystems für den Einsatz in der Fertigungsindustrie zu beachten sind. Abschließend wird ein Ausblick auf die weiterführenden Arbeiten für Anlagen der Prozessindustrie gegeben.
The objective of this study was to investigate the association between teat skin colonization and intramammary infection (IMI) with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus agalactiae at the quarter level in herds with automatic milking systems. Milk and teat skin samples from 1,142 quarters were collected from 300 cows with somatic cell count >200,000 cells/mL from 8 herds positive for Strep. agalactiae. All milk and teat skin samples were cultured on calf blood agar and selective media. A subset of samples from 287 quarters was further analyzed using a PCR assay (Mastit4 PCR; DNA Diagnostic A/S, Risskov, Denmark). Bacterial culture detected Staph. aureus in 93 (8.1%) of the milk samples and 75 (6.6%) of the teat skin samples. Of these, 15 (1.3%) quarters were positive in both the teat skin and milk samples. Streptococcus agalactiae was cultured in 84 (7.4%) of the milk samples and 4 (0.35%) of the teat skin samples. Of these, 3 (0.26%) quarters were positive in both the teat skin and milk samples. The PCR detected Staph. aureus in 29 (10%) of the milk samples and 45 (16%) of the teat skin samples. Of these, 2 (0.7%) quarters were positive in both the teat skin and milk samples. Streptococcus agalactiae was detected in 40 (14%) of the milk samples and 51 (18%) of the teat skin samples. Of these, 16 (5.6%) quarters were positive in both the teat skin and milk samples. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between teat skin colonization and IMI at the quarter level. Based on bacterial culture results, teat skin colonization with Staph. aureus resulted in 7.8 (95% confidence interval: 2.9; 20.6) times higher odds of Staph. aureus IMI, whereas herd was observed as a major confounder. However, results from the PCR analyses did not support this association. Streptococcus agalactiae was isolated from the teat skin with both PCR and bacterial culture, but the number of positive teat skin samples detected by culture was too low to proceed with further analysis. Based on the PCR results, Strep. agalactiae on teat skin resulted in 3.8 (1.4; 10.1) times higher odds of Strep. agalactiae IMI. Our results suggest that Staph. aureus and Strep. agalactiae on teat skin may be a risk factor for IMI with the same pathogens. Focus on proper teat skin hygiene is therefore recommended also in AMS.