The Interface between Inflammation and Coagulation in Cardiovascular Disease

The intimate connection between coagulation and inflammation in the pathogenesis of vascular disease has moved more and more into focus of clinical research. This paper focuses on the essential components of this interplay in the settings of cardiovascular disease and acute coronary syndrome. Tissue factor, the main initiator of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, plays a central role via causing a proinflammatory response through activation of coagulation factors and thereby initiating coagulation and downstream cellular signalling pathways. Regarding activated clotting factors II, X, and VII, protease-activated receptors provide the molecular link between coagulation and inflammation. Hereby, PAR-1 displays deleterious as well as beneficial properties. Unravelling these interrelations may help developing new strategies to ameliorate the detrimental reciprocal aggravation of inflammation and coagulation

Retention of mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-mask and mouth-to-face shield ventilation

Background: Retention of mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-mask and mouth-to-face shield ventilation techniques is poorly understood.Methods: A prospective randomised clinical trial was undertaken in January 2004 in 70 candidates randomly assigned to training in mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-mask or mouth-to-face shield ventilation. Each candidate was trained for 10 min, after which tidal volume, respiratory rate, minute volume, peak airway pressure and the presence or absence of stomach inflation were measured. 58 subjects were reassessed 1 year later and study parameters were recorded again. Data were analysed with ANOVA, \textgreekq2 and McNemar tests.Results: Tidal volume, minute volume, peak airway pressure, ventilation rate and stomach inflation rate increased significantly at reassessment with all ventilation techniques compared with the initial assessment. However, at reassessment, mean (SD) tidal volume (960 (446) vs 1008 (366) vs 1402 (302) ml; p<0.05), minute volume (12 (5) vs 13 (7) vs 18 (3) l/min; p<0.05), peak airway pressure (14 (8) vs 17 (13) vs 25 (8) cm H2O; p<0.05) and stomach inflation rate (63% vs 58% vs 100%; p<0.05) were significantly lower with mouth-to-mask and mouth-to-face shield ventilation than with mouth-to-mouth ventilation. The ventilation rate at reassessment did not differ significantly between the ventilation techniques.Conclusions: One year after a single episode of ventilation training, lay persons tended to hyperventilate; however, the degree of hyperventilation and resulting stomach inflation were lower when a mouth-to-mask or a face shield device was employed. Regular training is therefore required to retain ventilation skills; retention of skills may be better with ventilation devices

Die nachtaktive Fluginsektenfauna in den Grünanlagen des Regierungsviertels St. Pölten

In dieser Arbeit wurde die nachtaktive Fluginsekten-Fauna im Regierungsviertel St. Pölten (Niederösterreich) untersucht. Die Eröffnung des Regierungsviertels erfolgte im Jahr 1996; der Museumsgarten des Niederösterreichischen Landesmuseums wurde im Jahr 2003 fertig gestellt. Der Museumsgarten besteht aus verschiedenen Biotop-Typen und gilt somit als „grüne Oase“ inmitten der Stadt. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war es zu zeigen, dass in einer Landschaft aus Beton, Glas und Stahl viele interessante und seltene Arten einen Lebensraum finden können. Die Probennahme erfolgte mit einer mit Schwarzlicht bestückten Lichtfalle im Museumsgarten und selbstgebauten Leinwänden, welche gegen Straßenlaternen auf der Terrasse am Traisenufer gelehnt wurden. Die Aufsammlung erfolgte wöchentlich über einen Zeitraum von 20 Wochen (11. Juni bis einschließlich 23. Oktober 2008). In Summe wurden 14.910 Individuen aus 223 Arten gefangen und bestimmt. Die Insektenordnung mit der höchsten Individuendichte waren die Diptera. Die artenreichste Insektenordnung stellten die Coleoptera dar. Zusätzlich wurden in Summe 42 Rote Liste Arten gefangen. Besonders zu vermerken sind der Fund der Hymenoptera-Art Lasius bicornis (Formicinae) und der Heteroptera-Art Amphiareus obscuriceps (Anthocoridae). Lasius bicornis wurde seit 1980 nicht mehr in Niederösterreich gefunden und somit das erste Mal wieder gefangen. Amphiareus obscuriceps ist eine eingewanderte Art, welche ursprünglich aus dem Fernen Osten kommt. Erst seit kurzem tritt sie auch in Österreich und Europa auf. Alles in Allem zeigt die Untersuchung, dass der Museumsgarten des Niederösterreichischen Landesmuseums ein wichtiges Rückzugsgebiet für viele Arten darstellt, von denen sich auch einige auf der Roten Liste befinden.In this study the nocturnal Pterigota of the Government Quarter in St. Pölten, Lower Austria, were documented. The Government Quarter was opened in 1996. The Botanical Garden of the Lower Austrian State Museum was completed in 2003 and is part of the Quarter. The Botanical Garden contains several vegetation zones and represents a green oasis in the midst of the city. The aim of this work was to show that many interesting and rare species can inhabit an area that is otherwise characterized by concrete and steel. Samplings were performed with a black-light trap set up in the Botanical Garden using self-made screens which were leaned against the posts of street lamps on the terrace along the bank of the Traisen River. Samples were taken weekly for a total of 20 weeks from June 11 to October 23, 2008. A total of 14,910 specimens belonging to 223 species of twelve insect orders were caught and determined. The insect order with the highest number of specimens was the Diptera. The order with the most species was the Coleoptera. Furthermore, 42 species which are placed on the Red List were detected. Remarkable findings were the Hymenoptera Lasius bicornis (Formicinae) and the Heteroptera Amphiareus obscuriceps (Anthocoridae). This is the first record of Lasius bicornis in Lower Austria since 1980. Amphiareus obscuriceps is an invasive species originally derived from the Far East. Its appearance in Austria and Europe is recent. In summary, the investigation demonstrated that the Botanical Garden of St. Pölten represents a valuable retreat area for numerous species many of which are placed on the Red List

Understanding the management of information security controls in practice

The ever greater reliance on complex information technology environments together with dynamically changing threat scenarios and increasing compliance requirements make an efficient and effective management of information security controls a key concern for most organizations. Good practice collections such as COBIT and ITIL as well as related standards such as the ones belonging to the ISO/IEC 27000 family provide useful starting points for control management. However, neither good practice collections and standards nor scholarly literature explain how the management of controls actually is performed in organizations or how the current state-of-practice can be improved. A series of interviews with information security professionals from European organizations was conducted in order to better understand how a coherent and comprehensive suite of controls is built and maintained in practice and to help organizations refine related work practices. The interviews focused on the activities of control management as well as on the roles and responsibilities of the individuals and groups involved in those activities. The results of a qualitative content analysis of the gathered data allowed an aggregate description of control management on the basis of a generic control management cycle ranging from the creation of a control design to its implementation and review

Behavioral Event Management: una proposta di applicazione della prospettiva behaviorista alla progettazione e organizzazione di eventi culturali

Obiettivi. In questo paper si prover\ue0 ad applicare i principali risultati delle ricerche di matrice behaviorista allo specifico ambito della gestione degli eventi. Obiettivo del lavoro \ue8 dunque vedere quali suggerimenti l\u2019approccio behaviorista pu\uf2 offrire per migliorare l\u2019efficacia degli eventi culturali e della loro gestione.Metodologia. Questo paper segue una impostazione metodologica di fondo di tipo deduttivo. All\u2019interno di questo percorso, l\u2019orientamento \ue8 di tipo prescrittivo ovvero si propone di individuare alcune modalit\ue0 di comportamento da suggerire agli organizzatori di eventi.Risultati. Seguendo il percorso descritto, gli insight behavioristi presi in considerazione sono i seguenti: peak-end rule; sequence in pain and pleasure; vorfreude; build commitment through choice; rituals; felicit\ue0 esperita vs. felicit\ue0 ricordata. Ciascuno di essi viene illustrato secondo un framework predefinito, articolato in: descrizione dell\u2019insight a livello generale; forme di applicazione nel contesto degli eventi; casi esemplificativi; problemi o aspetti critici.Limiti della ricerca. Sinteticamente, essi consistono nella focalizzazione sui soli eventi di genere culturale; nell\u2019esame ristretto soltanto ad alcuni insight behavioristi; nella considerazione esclusivamente della dimensione soggettiva e non collettiva; nella mancata analisi degli eventuali risvolti etici connessi all\u2019applicazione dell\u2019approccio behaviorista.Implicazioni pratiche. L\u2019impiego della prospettiva behaviorista costringe a pensare all\u2019evento ponendosi dal punto di vista dello spettatore nel senso della considerazione della sua dimensione psicologica, del \u201cvissuto\u201d che l\u2019evento va a creare nella sua esperienza e memoria. I soggetti impegnati nell\u2019attivit\ue0 di organizzazione di eventi potranno senz\u2019altro beneficiare, cos\uec, di una serie di conoscenze utili per ottimizzare gli effetti della loro azione.Originalit\ue0 del lavoro. Il presente lavoro costituisce, a quanto risulta, una delle prime applicazioni dell\u2019approccio behaviorista alla gestione degli eventi culturali

The magnitude of the effect of calf muscles fatigue on postural control during bipedal quiet standing with vision depends on the eye-visual target distance

The purpose of the present experiment was to investigate whether, with vision, the magnitude of the effect of calf muscles fatigue on postural control during bipedal quiet standing depends on the eye-visual target distance. Twelve young university students were asked to stand upright as immobile as possible in three visual conditions (No vision, Vision 1m and Vision 4m) executed in two conditions of No fatigue and Fatigue of the calf muscles. Centre of foot pressure displacements were recorded using a force platform. Similar increased variances of the centre of foot pressure displacements were observed in the fatigue relative to the No fatigue condition for both the No vision and Vision 4m conditions. Interestingly, in the vision 1m condition, fatigue yielded: (1) a similar increased variance of the centre of foot pressure displacements to those observed in the No vision and Vision 4m conditions along the medio-lateral axis and (2) a weaker destabilising effect relative to the No vision and Vision 4m conditions along the antero-posterior axis. These results evidence that the ability to use visual information for postural control during bipedal quiet standing following calf muscles fatigue is dependent on the eye-visual target distance. More largely, in the context of the multisensory control of balance, the present findings suggest that the efficiency of the sensory reweighting of visual sensory cues as the neuro-muscular constraints acting on the subject change is critically linked with the quality of the information the visual system obtains

Studies on the mechanism of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation reaction: corboxylation without the concurrent formation of vitamin K 2,3-epoxide

Bio-organic Synthesi