SOZIALPHOBIE: EPIDEMIOLOGIE, BIOLOGIE UND THERAPIE

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is considered to be one of the most common anxiety disorders. Despite its high prevalence, the disorder is still considerably underdiagnosed and undertreated. SAD shows a typically early onset in childhood or early adolescence and generally becomes chronic. The disease places a massive burden on patients lives, affecting not only their social interactions but also their educational and professional activities, thereby constituting a severe disability. Although substantial progress in the study of the etiology of SAD has been made, no commonly accepted model has emerged yet. Data from genetic and neuroimaging studies point towards a contribution of several neurotransmitter systems (i.e. norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin) to the pathophysiology of this disorder. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have repeatedly emphasized the central role of the amygdalae and insula in the neural circuitry of the disorder. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are commonly accepted as first line therapy, however other substance classes like serotonin norepineprine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), benzodiazepines and several other agents have also proved effective. There is still a substantial lack of data on therapeutic options in cases of non-responsive SAD as well as on add-on therapy. A combined treatment-approach including psychotherapy (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy) may prove useful.Sozialphobien gehören zu den häufigsten psychiatrischen Erkrankungen. Ungeachtet der hohen Prävalenz wird diese Erkrankung noch immer zu selten erkannt, diagnostiziert und und ausreichend behandelt. Das Krankheitsbild entwickelt sich typischerweise in der Kindheit oder im frühen Adoleszenzalter und zeigt häufig einen chronischen Verlauf. Die Erkrankung stellt eine massive Belastung für die Patienten dar und wirkt nicht nur in sozialen Aspekten, sondern auch im Beruf und der Ausbildung der Betroffenen behindernd. Obwohl in der Erforschung der Ätiologie der Erkrankung bereits große Fortschritte gemacht wurden, hat sich noch kein allgemein akzeptiertes Modell entwickelt. Die Daten aus genetischen Studien und Studien mit bildgebenden Verfahren deuten auf ein Mitwirken des noradrenergen, des dopaminergen und des serotonergen Systems in der Pathophysiologie hin. In funktionellen Magnetresonanztomographiestudien wurde wiederholt die zentrale Rolle von Strukturen wie den Amydalae und der Insula in der neuronalen Grundlage der Sozialphobien gezeigt. In der Therapie der Sozialphobien werden allgemein selekive Serotonin- Wiederaufnahmehemmer als Mittel der ersten Wahl betrachtet. Andere Substanzklassen wie Serotonin-Noradrenalin-Wiederaufnahmehemmer, Monoaminoxidasehemmer, Benzodiazepine und einzelne andere Psychopharmaka haben ebenfalls Therapieeffizienz bewiesen. Zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt gibt es noch immer kaum Daten über Therapieoptionen bei Therapieresistenz oder über add-on Strategien. Eine weitere Möglichkeit stellen kombinierte Therapiestrategien mit psychotherapeutischen Ansätzen (z.B. kognitive Verhaltenstherapie) dar

Integrated control of wood destroying basidiomycetes combining Cu-based wood preservatives and Trichoderma spp

[EN] The production of new generation of wood preservatives (without addition of a co-biocide) in combination with an exchange of wood poles on identical sites with high fungal inoculum, has resulted in an increase of premature failures of wood utility poles in the last decades. Wood destroying basidiomycetes inhabiting sites where poles have been installed, have developed resistance against wood preservatives. The objective of the in vitro studies was to identify a Trichoderma spp. with a highly antagonistic potential against wood destroying basidiomycetes that is capable of colonizing Cu-rich environments. For this purpose, the activity of five Trichoderma spp. on Cu-rich medium was evaluated according to its growth and sporulation rates. The influence of the selected Trichoderma spp. on wood colonization and degradation by five wood destroying basidiomycetes was quantitatively analyzed by means of dry weight loss of wood specimens. Furthermore, the preventative effect of the selected Trichoderma spp. in combination with four Cu-based preservatives was also examined by mass loss and histological changes in the wood specimens. Trichoderma harzianum (T-720) was considered the biocontrol agent with higher antagonistic potential to colonize Cu-rich environments (up to 0.1% CuSO4 amended medium). T. harzianum demonstrated significant preventative effect on wood specimens against four wood destroying basidiomycetes. The combined effect of T. harzianum and Cu-based wood preservatives demonstrated that after 9 months incubation with two wood destroying basidiomycetes, wood specimens treated with 3.8 kg m-3 copper-chromium had weight losses between 55±65%, whereas containers previously treated with T. harzianum had significantly lower weight losses (0±25%). Histological studies on one of the wood destroying basidiomycetes revealed typical decomposition of wood cells by brown-rot fungi in Cu-impregnated samples, that were notably absent in wood specimens previously exposed to T. harzianum. It is concluded that carefully selected Trichoderma isolates can be used for integrated wood protection against a range of wood destroying basidiomycetes and may have potential for integrated wood protection in the field.The authors are pleased to acknowledge the financial support by the Swiss CTI (Project No. 17001.1 PFLS-LS).Ribera, J.; Fink, S.; Bas Cerdá, MDC.; Schwarze, FWMR. (2017). Integrated control of wood destroying basidiomycetes combining Cu-based wood preservatives and Trichoderma spp. PLoS ONE. 12(4). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4743061S12

Inhibitors of actin polymerization and calmodulin binding enhance protein kinase C-induced translocation of MARCKS in C6 glioma cells

AbstractMARCKS (myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate) is known to interact with calmodulin, actin filaments, and anionic phospholipids at a central basic domain which is also the site of phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC). In the present study, cytochalasin D (CD) and calmodulin antagonists were used to examine the influence of F-actin and calmodulin on membrane interaction of MARCKS in C6 glioma cells. CD treatment for 1 h disrupted F-actin filaments, increased membrane bound immunoreactive MARCKS (from 51% to 62% of total), yet markedly enhanced the amount of MARCKS translocated to the cytosolic fraction in response to the phorbol ester 4β-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. In contrast, CD treatment had no effect on phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of MARCKS or on translocation of PKCα to the membrane fraction. Staurosporine also increased membrane association of MARCKS in a PKC-independent manner, as no change in MARCKS phosphorylation was noted and bis-indolylmaleimide (a more specific PKC inhibitor) did not alter MARCKS distribution. Staurosporine inhibited the phorbol ester-induced translocation of MARCKS but not of PKCα in both CD pretreated and untreated cells. Calmodulin antagonists (trifluoperazine, calmidazolium) had little effect on the cellular distribution or phosphorylation of MARCKS, but were synergistic with phorbol ester in translocating MARCKS from the membrane without a further increase in its phosphorylation. We conclude that cytoskeletal integrity is not required for phosphorylation and translocation of MARCKS in response to activated PKC, but that interaction with both F-actin and calmodulin might serve to independently modulate PKC-regulated localization and function of MARCKS at cellular membranes

Diagnostik und Förderung selbstregulierten Lernens durch Self-Monitoring-Tagebücher

Um Einblicke in das Selbststudium zu bekommen, wurden Self-Monitoring-Tagebücher von 157 Studierenden analysiert. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass Studierende Wiederholungsstrategien bevorzugten, um sich auf Prüfungen vorzubereiten, obwohl verständnisorientierte Lernstrategien zu besseren Prüfungs­leistungen beitrugen. Mit Hilfe der Self-Monitoring-Tagebücher konnten typische Lernverläufe abgebildet und Zusammenhänge, zum Beispiel zwischen Lernstrategien, Stress und Prüfungs­leistungen, ermittelt werden. In einer zweiten experimentellen Studie mit 23 Studierenden konnten wir zeigen, dass Feedback in Bezug auf das individuelle Aufschiebeverhalten im Rahmen eines Self-Monitoring-Tagebuchs den Erwerb anwendbaren Wissens steigern kann. Self-Monitoring-Tagebücher eignen sich also sowohl zur Diagnostik als auch zur Förderung selbstregulierten Lernens. 02.11.2011 | Kristin Schmidt, Anne Allgaier, Andreas Lachner, Björn Stucke, Sabine Rey, Cornelius Frömmel, Siegfried Fink & Matthias Nückles (Freiburg

Effect of mechanical damage and wound healing on the viscoelastic properties of stems of flax cultivars (Linum usitatissimum L. cv. Eden and cv. Drakkar)

As plant fibres are increasingly used in technical textiles and their composites, underlying principles of wound healing in living plant fibres are relevant to product quality, and provide inspiration for biomimetic healing in synthetic materials. In this work, two Linum usitatissimum cultivars differing in their stem mechanical properties, cv. Eden (stems resistant to lodging) and cv. Drakkar (with more flexible stems), were grown without wound or with stems previously wounded with a cut parallel or transversal to the stem. To investigate wound healing efficiency, growth traits, stem biomechanics with Dynamic Mechanical Analysis and anatomy were analysed after 25-day recovery. Longitudinal incisions formed open wounds while transversal incisions generated stem growth restoring the whole cross-section but not the original stem organisation. In the case of transversal wound healing, all the bast fibre bundles in the perturbed area became lignified and pulled apart by parenchyma cells growth. Both Linum cultivars showed a healing efficiency from 79% to 95% with higher scores for transversal healing. Morphological and anatomical modifications of Linum were related to mechanical properties and healing ability. Alongside with an increased understanding of wound healing in plants, our results highlight their possible impact on textile quality and fibre yield

Randomized, Controlled Intervention Trial of Male Circumcision for Reduction of HIV Infection Risk: The ANRS 1265 Trial

BACKGROUND: Observational studies suggest that male circumcision may provide protection against HIV-1 infection. A randomized, controlled intervention trial was conducted in a general population of South Africa to test this hypothesis. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A total of 3,274 uncircumcised men, aged 18–24 y, were randomized to a control or an intervention group with follow-up visits at months 3, 12, and 21. Male circumcision was offered to the intervention group immediately after randomization and to the control group at the end of the follow-up. The grouped censored data were analyzed in intention-to-treat, univariate and multivariate, analyses, using piecewise exponential, proportional hazards models. Rate ratios (RR) of HIV incidence were determined with 95% CI. Protection against HIV infection was calculated as 1 − RR. The trial was stopped at the interim analysis, and the mean (interquartile range) follow-up was 18.1 mo (13.0–21.0) when the data were analyzed. There were 20 HIV infections (incidence rate = 0.85 per 100 person-years) in the intervention group and 49 (2.1 per 100 person-years) in the control group, corresponding to an RR of 0.40 (95% CI: 0.24%–0.68%; p < 0.001). This RR corresponds to a protection of 60% (95% CI: 32%–76%). When controlling for behavioural factors, including sexual behaviour that increased slightly in the intervention group, condom use, and health-seeking behaviour, the protection was of 61% (95% CI: 34%–77%). CONCLUSION: Male circumcision provides a degree of protection against acquiring HIV infection, equivalent to what a vaccine of high efficacy would have achieved. Male circumcision may provide an important way of reducing the spread of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. (Preliminary and partial results were presented at the International AIDS Society 2005 Conference, on 26 July 2005, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Modelling the public health impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in high prevalence areas in Africa

Background: Recent clinical trials in Africa, in combination with several observational epidemiological studies, have provided evidence that male circumcision can reduce HIV female-to-male transmission risk by 60% or more. However, the public health impact of large-scale male circumcision programs for HIV prevention is unclear. Methods: Two mathematical models were examined to explore this issue: a random mixing model and a compartmental model that distinguishes risk groups associated with sex work. In the compartmental model, two scenarios were developed, one calculating HIV transmission and prevalence in a context similar to the country of Botswana, and one similar to Nyanza Province, in western Kenya. Results: In both models, male circumcision programs resulted in large and sustained declines in HIV prevalence over time among both men and women. Men benefited somewhat more than women, but prevalence among women was also reduced substantially. With 80% male circumcision uptake, the reductions in prevalence ranged from 45% to 67% in the two "countries", and with 50% uptake, from 25% to 41%. It would take over a decade for the intervention to reach its full effect. Conclusion: Large-scale uptake of male circumcision services in African countries with high HIV prevalence, and where male circumcision is not now routinely practised, could lead to substantial reductions in HIV transmission and prevalence over time among both men and women