Item Response Model Validation of the German ICD-11 International Trauma Questionnaire for PTSD and CPTSD

BACKGROUND: In the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the complex variant (CPTSD) were newly conceptualised. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was developed as a brief self-report measure to screen for both disorders. The English original version has been rigorously tested and presents convincing psychometric properties. The aim of the current study was to validate the German version by means of item response theory (IRT). METHOD: This is a secondary analysis of a representative, trauma-exposed adult sample from the German general population (N = 500). 1- and 2-parameter logistic IRT models (i.e. examination on an item level), diagnostic rates and confirmatory factor analyses were calculated. RESULTS: All items showed good model fit and acceptable to good performance aligning with the items of the English original except for item C1 (Long time to calm down) which had a high endorsement rate and a low discriminatory power yielding low information gain. CPTSD diagnostic rate of 3.2% was lower than in comparable literature. Confirmatory factor analysis deemed the six first-order, two second-order factors model superior. CONCLUSION: Measurement and factorial validity of the German version of the ITQ was confirmed. The German translation matches the English original in most psychometric properties and can thus be used for research and clinical practice

Feasibility, acceptability and needs in telemedicine for palliative care.

BACKGROUND Telemedicine in palliative care was initially developed in countries where geography or resources limit access to care services. Recently, largely owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this technology is being increasingly used in highly urbanised countries such as Switzerland. However, there is still scepticism regarding whether these tools can be used effectively in palliative care, a relationship-based speciality that is generally highly dependent on compassion, communication and direct human interaction. The objective of this review was to analyse the needs, elements of feasibility, and reasons for acceptance or possible barriers before the implementation of a telemedicine intervention in Switzerland. METHODS The method used was a scoping review, following the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. We searched the PubMed, Ovid SP, Medline, Cochrane and Scopus databases for relevant reports. Charting and analyses of the data were done by a single researcher. A total of 520 records were screened and assessed for eligibility. Finally, 27 studies and 4 registry entries were included. Main reasons for exclusion were wrong population and intervention. RESULTS The prevailing study type was the single-arm intervention study. Most studies originated from countries with geographic barriers to access. Feasibility was good in 69% of all studies. Good acceptability (84.1-100%) was confirmed in the majority of the studies. The needs of the patients or the healthcare professionals were directly addressed in only five (16%) studies. Three needs were consistently reported: communication, coordination and technical reliability. CONCLUSION Despite a broad range of studies on telemedicine in palliative care, patients' needs are rarely addressed. Therefore, especially in countries such as Switzerland, a needs assessment is recommended before the implementation of a new telemedicine intervention, to guarantee high feasibility and acceptability

Modeling deadwood for rockfall mitigation assessments in windthrow areas

Studying how deadwood mitigates the rockfall hazard in mountain forests is key to understanding the influence of climate-induced disturbances on the protective capacity of mountain forests. Both experimental quantification and numerical process modeling are needed to address this question. Modeling provides detailed insights into the rock–deadwood interaction and can therefore be used to develop effective forest management strategies. Here, we introduce an automatic deadwood generator (ADG) for assessing the impact of fresh woody storm debris on the protective capacity of a forest stand against rockfall. The creation of various deadwood scenarios allows us to directly quantify the mitigation potential of deadwood. To demonstrate the functionality of the proposed ADG method, we compare deadwood log patterns, deadwood effective height, and mesoscale surface ruggedness observed in field surveys in a natural windthrow area with their simulated counterparts. Specifically, we consider two sites near Lake Klöntal, Switzerland, where a major windthrow event occurred in 2019. We perform rockfall simulations for the time (a) before, (b) directly after, and (c) 10 years after the windthrow event. We further compare the results with (d) a simulation with complete clearing of the thrown wood: in other words, a scenario with no standing forest remaining. We showcase an integration of deadwood into rockfall simulations with realistic deadwood configurations alongside a diameter at breast height (DBH)- and rot-fungi-dependent maximum deadwood breaking energy. Our results confirm the mitigation effect of deadwood, which significantly reduces the jump heights and velocities of 400 kg rocks. Our modeling results suggest that, even a decade after the windthrow event, deadwood has a stronger protective effect against rockfall than that provided by standing trees. We conclude that an ADG can contribute to the decision-making involved in forest and deadwood management after disturbances.</p

Polyadenine insertion disrupting the G6PC1 gene in German Pinschers with glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD1A).

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Sesonglagring av solenergi i Vestby sentrum : en mulighetsstudie

Hovedformålet med oppgaven er å undersøke hvorvidt et sesonglager av solenergi kan dekke noen av Vestby sentrums energibehov. Energibehovene består hovedsakelig av snø- og issmelting til kjøre- og gangveier i sentrum, samt oppvarming av det nye kulturkvartalet som skal bygges. Varmen skal samles på sommeren ved hjelp av solfangere plassert på kommunale bygg og et vannbårent energianlegg i veidekket i sentrum. Denne energien lagres i en brønnpark som plasseres i sentrum. Energien hentes ut på vinteren ved behov. Ved hjelp av tall fra Aiwell AS estimeres energiforbruket for oppvarming av 14 000 m2 veidekke til å være 1,4 GWh årlig. Oppvarmingsbehovet til kulturkvartalet på ca. 8 200 m2 estimeres til å være ca. 0,45 GWh årlig. Dette gir et totalt årlig oppvarmingsbehov på 1,85 GWh. Brønnparkens volum dimensjoneres til ca. 220 500 m3 med en forventet gjenvinningsgrad på 80%. Solfangere plasseres på 3 064 m2 takflate i sentrum, hvor beregningsprogrammet for solenergi, PVsyst, predikerer årlig innstråling på ca. 1 000 kWh/m2. Med en gjennomsnittlig virkningsgrad på 50% tilsvarer dette ca. 1,5 GWh energi overført til vannet i solfangerne. Fra anlegget i veidekket er det estimert at 7 000 m2 kan høste en årlig energi på 130 kWh/m2, som resulterer i 0,9 GWh årlig. Oppgaven undersøker også hvordan kjølebehovet til kulturkvartalet kan dekkes og vurderer to forskjellige løsninger med bruk av varmepumpe. I det ene systemet vil kjølebehovet dekkes av en varmepumpe ved behov, mens i det andre systemet dekkes kjølebehovet fra et kuldelager. I begge systemene vil varmepumpene dumpe varme til varmelageret. Etter en vurdering av de to systemene konkluderes det med at systemet med kuldelageret er den beste løsningen. Dette er fordi varmetilførselen til varmelageret vil spres utover en lengre periode og vil dermed ikke komme på samme tid som fra solfangerne på sommeren. Totale kostnader for energisystemet etter grovbudsjettering ble beregnet til å være på ca. 30 millioner kr. Energien som systemet kan levere hvert år er estimert til å være ca. 2,1 GWh, som gir en årlig kostnadsbesparelse på ca. 2 millioner kr med en kraftpris på 1kr/kWh. Utfordringen for sesonglageret er de høye spisseffektene som kreves av brønnparken. Uten et prioritert soneinndelingssystem vil ikke brønnparken ha stor nok effektkapasitet til å smelte hele veiområdet samtidig.The main goal of the thesis is to assess whether a seasonal storage system of solar energy can cover some of the energy needs of the Vestby city centre. The energy demand mainly consists of melting snow and ice on the different city roads, along with heating to the new culture centre which is being built. The heat will be collected during the summer with solar collectors on the roofs of communal buildings and a hydronic energy system in the city pavements. This energy will be stored in a seasonal heat storage which is being placed in the city centre and can later be extracted during the winter. With the help of Aiwell AS, the yearly energy demand for the heating of 14 000 m2 of pavement is estimated to be 1,4 GWh. The yearly heating demand for the 8 200 m2 culture centre is estimated to be 0,45 GWh, which gives a total yearly heating need of 1,85 GWh. The volume of the seasonal heat storage is calculated to be 220 500 m3 with an expected recovery rate of 80%. Solar collectors are placed on 3 064 m2 of roof surface in Vestby city centre and the solar energy calculation tool, PVsyst, estimates a yearly irradiance of approximately 1 000 kWh/m2. With an average efficiency of the solar collectors of 50% this corresponds to 1,5 GWh energy transferred to the water in the collectors. From the hydraulic pavement it’s estimated that 7 000 m2 can collect a yearly energy amount of 0,9 GWh. The thesis also proposes two solutions for how the cooling demand of the culture centre can be covered with the usage of heat pumps. In one of the systems the cooling need is covered directly by a heat pump, where the need is covered by a cooling storage in the other system. In both systems the heat pump will deliver heat to the heat storage. After an assessment of the two proposed solutions it is concluded that the system with the cooling storage is most suitable. This is because the heat delivery from the heat pump will not compete with the heat from the solar collectors, as it is delivered through a longer period of time. The estimate of the total costs for the energy system is approximately 30 million NOK. The energy that the system can deliver in the form of heating and cooling is estimated to be approximately 2,1 GWh, which gives an annual saving of 2 million NOK using a price of electricity at 1 NOK/kWh. The main challenge for the seasonal heat storage is the peak charging and discharging powers. Without a prioritized zonal system, the heat storage will not have the capacity needed to melt the entire area of pavement at once.M-M

Wide-range strain tunability provided by epitaxial LaAl1−xScxO3 template films

The dielectric diamagnetic LaAl1− xScxO3 (LASO) (x=0–1) is proposed for adjusting of the biaxial in-plane lattice parameter of oxide substrates in the wide range from 3.79 to 4.05 Å (6.5%). This range includes the pseudocubic lattice parameters of most of the currently investigated complex oxides. The in-plane lattice parameter of strain-relaxed LASO films depends linearly on the composition, and these films grow with a smooth surface. On several different LASO-buffered substrates, ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) films have been grown in predetermined strain states. A series of 30 nm thick LSMO films on LASO-buffered LaSrAlO4(001) demonstrates that continuously controlled coherent strains in a wide range, in this case from − 1 to +0.6%, can be obtained for the functional oxide films grown on LASO

An endocytic-secretory cycle participates in Toxoplasma gondii in motility

Apicomplexan parasites invade host cells in an active process involving their ability to move by gliding motility. While the acto-myosin system of the parasite plays a crucial role in the formation and release of attachment sites during this process, there are still open questions regarding the involvement of other mechanisms in parasite motility. In many eukaryotes, a secretory-endocytic cycle leads to the recycling of receptors (integrins), necessary to form attachment sites, regulation of surface area during motility, and generation of retrograde membrane flow. Here, we demonstrate that endocytosis operates during gliding motility in Toxoplasma gondii and appears to be crucial for the establishment of retrograde membrane flow, because inhibition of endocytosis blocks retrograde flow and motility. We demonstrate that extracellular parasites can efficiently incorporate exogenous material, such as labelled phospholipids, nanogold particles (NGPs), antibodies, and Concanavalin A (ConA). Using labelled phospholipids, we observed that the endocytic and secretory pathways of the parasite converge, and endocytosed lipids are subsequently secreted, demonstrating the operation of an endocytic-secretory cycle. Together our data consolidate previous findings, and we propose an additional model, working in parallel to the acto-myosin motor, that reconciles parasite motility with observations in other eukaryotes: an apicomplexan fountain-flow-model for parasite motility

Einfluss langjähriger differenzierter K-Gehalte auf Parameter des Bodenwasserhaushaltes

Auf Basis langjähriger K-Steigerungsversuche aus Deutschland, Tschechien und Ungarn wurde der Einfluss unter-schiedlicher Bodenkaliumgehalte auf die Wasserbindung untersucht. Mit Steigerung der Kaliumgehalte nahmen dabei die Feldkapazität und die nutzbare Feldkapazität zu. Durch die K-Aufdüngung von K-Nullstufen vergleichbarer Böden wurde nachgewiesen, dass diese Effekte auf die langjährige Akkumulation der organi-schen Bodensubstanz infolge der er-tragssteigernden K-Wirkung zurückzuführen sind und weniger auf der kurzzeitigen Erhöhung der K-Gehalten basieren