A software module for quqlity control of CEGRN sites

GPS observations are still intluenced by a whole amount of effects, as for example multiple reflections, ionosphere etc. which have an impact on the accuracy of the observables even on carefully selected sites. Up to now these effects can not be mitigated or modelled satisfactorily. Hence the monitoring of these station specific effects is mandatory in order to judge about data quality and derive weighting or deletion schemes for optimal parameter estimation. Within the tasks of the work package 4 of the Central Europe Geodynamics Project (CERGOP), a software tool was developed to monitor the continuously operating reference stations of the network. The development was carried out using C++ libraries available for the most common operating systems. Here we describe the basic features of this package and give an overview of its present status

PERK is activated differentially in peripheral organs following cardiac arrest and resuscitation

Visceral organs display differential sensitivity to ischemia and reperfusion injury, but the cellular mechanisms underlying these differential responses are not completely understood. A significant response to ischemia identified in brain is stress to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), as indicated by PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum eIF2a kinase (PERK)-mediated phosphorylation of eIF2a. To determine the generality of this response, we evaluated the PERK pathway in brain, GI tract, heart, liver, lung, kidney, pancreas and skeletal muscle following a clinically relevant, 10 min cardiac arrest-induced whole body ischemia and either 10 or 90 min reperfusion. The potential role of nitric oxide (NO) on PERK activation was investigated by conducting ischemia and reperfusion in the presence and absence of the NO synthase inhibitor nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). Organ stress could be ranked with respect to the degree of eIF2a phosphorylation at 10 min reperfusion. Brain, kidney and GI tract were reactive organs, showing 15 to 20-fold increases in eIF2a(P) compared to controls. Moderately reactive organs included liver and heart, showing \u3c10-fold increases in eIF2a(P). Pancreas, lung and skeletal muscle were nonreactive. Although treatment of cultured neuroblastoma 104 cells with the NO-donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) activated PERK, administration of l-NAME had no effect on PERK activation or eIF2a phosphorylation in organs following ischemia and reperfusion. Thus, PERK is activated differentially in reperfused organs independent of NO. These results suggest that ER stress may play a role in differential responses of viscera to ischemia and reperfusion. ER stress in viscera may contribute to the pathophysiology of resuscitation from cardiac arrest and during organ transplantation procedures. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

E-book and interactive case presentation with XML

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMF) is one of the four main subjects in the clinical curriculum of dental medicine in Germany. Despite of the large collegiate demand there are only few e-learning offers in this subject now. Here, we present the development of an E-Learning facility in the subject of OMF, that combines systematical knowledge with case based clinical knowledge.A high disposition to work with E-learning was asserted in the student body with a structured questionary in a user and demand analysis. As important issues in E-learning students mentioned: search functionality, learning questions, links between systematical textbook knowledge and clinical case knowledge, embedding multimedial sources and the clarity of navigation. An established OMF textbook in combination with clinical cases are presented in an integrated web platform to achieve these demands. Links between XML case representation and systematical knowledge are navigable and searchable. Based on the representation that has been developed on the structure of medical cases as so far 15 case were implemented.Compared to classical attempts of case-based learning the presented effort is relatively "lightweight", however, associated with reduced development effort. Central aspects of case based learning are accomplished without abandoning the systematic textbook knowledge. The XML structures are standardized (DocBook) or generic so that utilization is possible in variable contexts.Die Mund-, Kiefer und Gesichtschirurgie (MKG) stellt eine der vier Säulen des klinischen Kurrikulums der zahnärztlichen Ausbildung dar. Trotz großer Nachfrage in der Studentenschaft gibt es bisher nur wenige E-Learning-Angebote in diesem Bereich. Hier wird die Entwicklung eines E-Learning-Angebotes in der MKG vorgestellt, das systematisches Lehrbuchwissen mit klinisch praktischem Fallwissen kombiniert.Auf Grundlage einer Nutzer- und Bedarfsanalyse innerhalb der zahnmedizinischen Studentenschaft konnte eine hohe Bereitschaft festgestellt werden, mit E-Learning zu arbeiten. Als besonders wichtige Eigenschaften wurden genannt: Suchfunktionen, Lernfragen, inhaltliche Verbindung von systematischen mit Fallwissen, Einbettung multimedialer Medien und Übersichtlichkeit. Um diese Anforderungen zu erfüllen werden die Inhalte eines etablierten Lehrbuches der MKG zusammen mit Fällen aus der eigenen Poliklinik über eine einheitlichen Web-basierte Plattform präsentiert. Inhaltliche Verbindung zwischen klinischen Fällen und systematischen Inhalten sind dabei jederzeit navigier- und suchbar. Auf Basis einer XML Fallrepräsentation, die entsprechend der medizinischen Fallstruktur entwickelt wurde, sind bisher 15 Fälle implementiert worden.Der hier vorgestellte Ansatz ist gegenüber klassischen Fall-basierten Lernprogrammen relativ "leichtgewichtig" und mit deutlich geringerem Entwicklungsaufwand verbunden. Dennoch können zentrale Aspekte des Fall-basierten Lernens erfüllt werden, ohne auf die Systematik des Lehrbuchwissens verzichten zu müssen. Da die verwendeten XML Strukturen standardisiert (DocBook) oder hinreichend generisch sind, ist eine Verwendung in anderen medizinischen Disziplinen mit geringem Aufwand möglich