Risk Awareness and Attitude of German Farmers towards Biosecurity Measures.

The implementation of management activities depends on both the attitude of the people performing the work and their understanding of why the work should be performed. In the context of animal husbandry, the implementation of such practices is crucial for the functionality of biosecurity. Therefore, it is important to know how farmers perceive biosecurity as a whole. An anonymous online survey was conducted among German farmers. In addition to general data about their farm, information about their existing concept of biosecurity, as well as about the assessment of possible introduction routes for animal diseases into the farm with regard to their likelihood, was gathered. Furthermore, information on measures to protect their farm against disease introduction were retrieved. Analysis showed that in general, farmers were aware of the importance of biosecurity and consequently had concepts of biosecurity on their farms. However, awareness about dangerous introduction routes for animal diseases into a farm was associated with a lack of knowledge of how to improve the measures in these areas. The role of the veterinarian in the context of biosecurity was highlighted and further problematic areas were indicated. Overall, the high level of commitment from farmers indicated a good implementation of daily practices.

Generalized Lymphatic Anomaly as a Differential Diagnosis of Lytic Lesions.

Generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA) is an infrequent multiorgan disease characterized by the presence of abnormal proliferation of lymphatic vessels. The diagnosis requires histological confirmation, and the treatment is controversial. We are presenting a case of a 28-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with an extragonadal mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. He underwent chemotherapy, and during this treatment, radiologic findings evidenced lytic lesions. Multiple biopsies were performed, which revealed the presence of abnormal lymphatic vessels, characteristic of GLA. There are different etiologies of osteolytic lesions, and on some occasions, they mimic a tumoral entity. The clinical suspicion of GLA is the first step in approaching the diagnosis, particularly in young adult patients.

Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Following High-Load Resistance Exercise Upregulates Gene Expression in Pathways Involved in Skeletal Muscle Signal Transduction.

Previous evidence suggests that resistance training in combination with specific collagen peptides (CP) improves adaptive responses of the muscular apparatus. Although beneficial effects have been repeatedly demonstrated, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Therefore, the primary objective of the present randomized trial was to elucidate differences in gene expression pathways related to skeletal muscle signal transduction following acute high-load resistance exercise with and without CP intake. Recreationally active male participants were equally randomized to high-load leg extension exercise in combination with 15 g CP or placebo (PLA) supplementation. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle were obtained at baseline as well as 1, 4 and 24 h post exercise to investigate gene expression using next generation sequencing analysis. Several important anabolic pathways including PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways were significantly upregulated at 1 and 4 h post-exercise. Significant between-group differences for both pathways were identified at the 4 h time point demonstrating a more pronounced effect after CP intake. Gene expression related to the mTOR pathway demonstrated a higher visual increase in the CP group compared to PLA by trend, but failed to achieve statistically significant group differences. The current findings revealed a significantly higher upregulation of key anabolic pathways (PI3K-Akt, MAPK) in human skeletal muscle 4 h following an acute resistance training combined with intake of 15 g of specific collagen peptides compared to placebo. Further investigations should examine potential relationships between upregulated gene expression and changes in myofibrillar protein synthesis as well as potential long-term effects on anabolic pathways on the protein level.

Cycling-induced recurrent spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium in a young female patient.

We present an exceptional case of recurrent cycling-induced spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium in a female patient without any trauma. Radiological and endoscopic examinations were carried out to exclude other differential diagnoses. Decision for in-hospital observation and conservative treatment was made. No symptoms were reported 12 months after return to sports activity.

Hydrogels and Their Role in Biosensing Applications.

Hydrogels play an important role in the field of biomedical research and diagnostic medicine. They are emerging as a powerful tool in the context of bioanalytical assays and biosensing. In this context, this review gives an overview of different hydrogels and the role they adopt in a range of applications. Not only are hydrogels beneficial for the immobilization and embedding of biomolecules, but they are also used as responsive material, as wearable devices, or as functional material. In particular, the scientific and technical progress during the last decade is discussed. The newest hydrogel types, their synthesis, and many applications are presented. Advantages and performance improvements are described, along with their limitations.

Particle Diffusivity and Free-Energy Profiles in Hydrogels from Time-Resolved Penetration Data.

A combined experimental and theoretical method to simultaneously determine diffusivity and free-energy profiles of particles that penetrate into inhomogeneous hydrogel systems is presented. As the only input, arbitrarily normalized concentration profiles from fluorescence intensity data of labeled tracer particles for different penetration times are needed. The method is applied to dextran molecules of varying size that penetrate into hydrogels of polyethylene-glycol chains with different lengths that are covalently cross-linked by hyperbranched polyglycerol hubs. Extracted dextran bulk diffusivities agree well with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data obtained separately. Empirical scaling laws for dextran diffusivities and free energies inside the hydrogel are identified as a function of the dextran mass. An elastic free-volume model that includes dextran as well as polyethylene-glycol linker flexibility quantitively describes the repulsive dextran-hydrogel interaction free energy, which is of steric origin, and furthermore suggests that the hydrogel mesh-size distribution is rather broad and particle penetration is dominated by large hydrogel pores. Particle penetration into hydrogels for steric particle-hydrogel interactions is thus suggested to be governed by an elastic size-filtering mechanism that involves the tail of the hydrogel pore-size distribution.

Spatial Separation of Microbeads into Detection Levels by a Bioorthogonal Porous Hydrogel for Size-Selective Analysis and Increased Multiplexity.

Multiplex detection techniques are emerging within the fields of life science research and medical diagnostics where it is mandatory to analyze a great number of molecules. The detection techniques need to be highly efficient but often involve complicated and expensive fabrication procedures. Here, we present the immobilization and geometric separation of fluorescence-labeled microbeads for a multiplex detection in k levels. A compound of differently sized target molecules (DNA, proteins) is channeled into the respective detection levels by making use of a hydrogel as a size selective filter. The immobilized microbeads (10-20 µm) are considerably larger than the pores of the hydrogel network and therefore stay fixed at the well bottom and in higher elevations, respectively. Small biomolecules can diffuse through the pores of the network, whereas medium-sized biomolecules pass slower and large molecules will be excluded. Besides filtering, this method discriminates the used microbeads into k levels and thereby introduces a geometric multiplexity. Additionally, the exclusion of large entities enables the simultaneous detection of two target molecules, which exhibit the same affinity interaction. The hydrogel is formed through the combination of two macromonomers. One component is a homobifunctional polyethylene glycol linker, carrying a strained alkyne (PEG-BCN) and the second component is the azide-functionalized dendritic polyglycerol (dPG-N3). They react via the bioorthogonal strain-promoted azide alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). The hydrogel creates a solution-like environment for the diffusion of the investigated biomolecules all the while providing a stable, bioinert, and surface bound network.

The impact of attachment distress on affect-centered mentalization: An experimental study in psychosomatic patients and healthy adults.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the impact of attachment distress on affect-centered mentalization in a clinical and a non-clinical sample, comparing mentalization in a baseline condition to mentalization under a condition of attachment distress. METHODS: The sample consisted of 127 adults who underwent inpatient psychosomatic treatment, and 34 mentally healthy adults. Affect-centered mentalization was assessed by analyzing participants' narratives on interpersonal situations in a baseline condition with the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS), and an experimental condition inducing attachment distress with the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP). Unlike the LEAS, the AAP is specifically designed to trigger attachment distress. In both conditions, the narratives were evaluated using the LEAS scoring system. Additionally, we assessed the impact of childhood trauma on affect-centered mentalization with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). RESULTS: While the non-clinical sample displayed the same level of affect-centered mentalization in both conditions, the majority of the clinical sample reached higher scores in the attachment distress condition. There was no strong relationship between reported trauma and mentalization scores. DISCUSSION: Our findings lend strong empirical support to the assumption that affect-centered mentalization is modulated by attachment-related distress. Several possible explanations for the differences between and within the clinical and the non-clinical sample are discussed.

Bioorthogonal in Situ Hydrogels Based on Polyether Polyols for New Biosensor Materials with High Sensitivity.

Both noncovalent and covalent encapsulations of active biomolecules, for example, proteins and oligonucleotides, for a new biosensor matrix in an in situ bioorthogonal hydrogel formation via a strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction were investigated. Unspecific interaction between the gel and the biomolecules as well as protein denaturation was prevented by the bioorthogonal gel components, which ensure a uniform aqueous environment in the hydrogel network. No leaching of the active biomolecules was observed. Additionally, a much higher and also adjustable loading of biomolecules in the hydrogel matrix was achieved compared to conventional biosensor surfaces, where the sensor molecules are immobilized on monolayers (2D surfaces) or brushlike structures (3D surfaces). Spotting experiments of the hydrogel confirm the possibility to use this new surface for microarray-based multiplex applications which require very high signal-to-noise ratios.

Copper-Free Sonogashira Coupling for High-Surface-Area Conjugated Microporous Poly(aryleneethynylene) Networks.

A modified one-pot Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction based on a copper-free methodology has been applied for the synthesis of conjugated microporous poly(aryleneethynylene) networks (CMPs) from readily available iodoarylenes and 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene. The polymerization reactions were carried out by using equimolar amounts of halogen and terminal alkyne moieties with extremely small loadings of palladium catalyst as low as 0.65 mol %. For the first time, CMPs with rigorously controlled structures were obtained without any indications of side reactions, as proven by FTIR and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, while showing Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas higher than any poly(aryleneethynylene) network reported before, reaching up to 2552 m(2) g(-1) .

[The influence of patient- and treatment-related factors on the success of inpatient psychotherapy]. / Der Einfluss von Patienten-und Behandlungsmerkmalen auf den Therapieerfolg in der stationären Psychotherapie.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the symptomatic and interpersonal efficacy of inpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy as well as the influence of several patient- and treatment-related factors on the success of psychotherapy. METHODS: In this naturalistic study, 715 patients were assessed with the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP). The influence of several patient-and treatment-related factors on the success of psychotherapy was analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Patients improved significantly on all SCL-90-R and IIP scales. The patients' attachment style, ICD-10 diagnosis, and motivation for therapy, as well as additionally job situation for the symptomatic outcome and additionally age for the interpersonal outcome, were significant predictors of therapeutic success. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a secure attachment style, a diagnosis of depression, and a high motivation for therapy are more likely to experience therapeutic success than other patients. Furthermore, regular occupational activity has a positive effect on symptomatic treatment outcome, while a younger age has a positive effect on interpersonal treatment outcome.