Meta-Studie: Covid-19-Pandemie und betriebliche Anpassungsmaßnahmen: Begleitforschung zur Arbeitsweltberichterstattung im Auftrag des BMAS, Bd. 4

Die vorliegende Studie fasst den Stand der Erkenntnisse zu den Auswirkungen der Covid-19-Pandemie auf Betriebe und Beschäftigte sowie zu den betrieblichen Anpassungsmaßnahmen zusammen. Hierzu wurde eine Vielzahl von Studien und zugrundeliegenden Erhebungen erfasst und ausgewertet. Die einbezogenen Studien basieren auf Primärbefragungen bei Betrieben, Beschäftigten oder anderen Personen, die in Deutschland durchgeführt wurden. In einem weiteren Arbeitsschritt wird der Forschungsstand im Hinblick auf Vollständigkeit bzw. Forschungslücken bewertet.This study summarizes the current state of knowledge on the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on companies and employees and on companies’ adaptation measures. For this purpose, a large number of studies and surveys were recorded and analyzed. The studies included are based on primary surveys of companies, employees or other persons conducted in Germany. In a further step, the current state of research is evaluated with regard to completeness and research gaps

Optimised and Rapid Pre-clinical Screening in the SOD1G93A Transgenic Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

The human SOD1G93A transgenic mouse has been used extensively since its development in 1994 as a model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In that time, a great many insights into the toxicity of mutant SOD1 have been gained using this and other mutant SOD transgenic mouse models. They all demonstrate a selective toxicity towards motor neurons and in some cases features of the pathology seen in the human disease. These models have two major drawbacks. Firstly the generation of robust preclinical data in these models has been highlighted as an area for concern. Secondly, the amount of time required for a single preclinical experiment in these models (3–4 months) is a hurdle to the development of new therapies. We have developed an inbred C57BL/6 mouse line from the original mixed background (SJLxC57BL/6) SOD1G93A transgenic line and show here that the disease course is remarkably consistent and much less prone to background noise, enabling reduced numbers of mice for testing of therapeutics. Secondly we have identified very early readouts showing a large decline in motor function compared to normal mice. This loss of motor function has allowed us to develop an early, sensitive and rapid screening protocol for the initial phases of denervation of muscle fibers, observed in this model. We describe multiple, quantitative readouts of motor function that can be used to interrogate this early mechanism. Such an approach will increase throughput for reduced costs, whilst reducing the severity of the experimental procedures involved

COVID-19 Related Thrombotic Complications Experience Before and During Delta Wave

Hypercoagulability and thrombotic complications seen in SARS-CoV-2 patients, as well as the associated pathophysiology, have been reported extensively. However, there is limited information regarding the factors related to this phenomenon and its association with the COVID-19 delta variant. A retrospective review including patients admitted to a tertiary center with a COVID-19 positive test and at least one acute thrombotic event confirmed by imaging between June 2020 and August 2021 was performed. We compared the rates of thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19 before and during the Delta peak. We also analyzed the association of the thrombotic complications with demographic characteristics, comorbidities, anticoagulation strategies, and prothrombotic markers while describing other complications secondary to COVID-19 infection. Out of 964 patients admitted with COVID-19 diagnosis, 26.5% (n=256) had a thrombotic event evidenced by ultrasound (US) or computerized tomography (CT) scan. Venous thromboembolism was found in 60% (n=153), arterial thrombosis in 23% (n=60), and both venous and arterial thromboses in 17% (n=17) of the study cohort. Of all patients, 94% were not vaccinated. Delta variant wave patients (DW) had thrombotic episodes in 34.7% (n=50/144) of cases compared to 25% (n=206/820) of non-Delta wave (NDW) patients, posing an estimated risk 1.36 times higher in patients infected with COVID-19 during the DW than NDW. Overall, DW subjects were significantly younger (p<0.001) with lower BMI (p=0.021) compared to NDW patients. Statistical analyses showed African American patients were more likely to have arterial thrombosis compared to the other groups when testing positive for COVID-19 (OR: 1.78 [CI: 1.04 – 3.05], p=0.035), whereas immunosuppressed patients had less risk of arterial thrombosis (OR: 0.38 [CI: 0.15 – 0.96], p=0.042). Female gender (OR: 2.15 [CI: 1.20 – 3.85]. p=0.009) and patients with active malignancy (OR: 5.99 [CI: 2.14 – 16.78]. p=0.001) had an increased risk of having multiple thrombotic events at different locations secondary to COVID-19. COVID-19 infection is associated with elevated rates of thrombotic complications and an especially higher risk in patients infected during the Delta variant peak. We highlight the importance of vaccination and the development of new anticoagulation strategies for COVID-19 patients with additional hypercoagulable risk factors to prevent thrombotic complications caused by this disease. Our experience as a COVID-19 referral center in the South Florida Region shows high rates of thrombotic complications secondary to COVID-19. We emphasize the importance of vaccination and development of an adequate antithrombotic strategy in patients with COVID-19

Energetic particle injection, acceleration, and loss during the geomagnetic disturbances which upset Galaxy 15

On 5 April 2010 a series of energetic electron injections, acceleration, and loss events appeared to induce an operational anomaly in the Galaxy 15 geosynchronous communications satellite. We describe the energetic electron precipitation conditions leading to the anomaly. A few hours prior to the anomaly electron acceleration at >0.6 MeV, and loss at >30 keV, were observed simultaneously. The acceleration took place in the region of the Galaxy 15 satellite on the nightside and the precipitation of electrons primarily on the dayside. The precipitation was confined to L-shells outside of the plasmapause and appeared to be driven by chorus waves via a weak diffusion process. An hour prior to the anomaly, a solar wind shock event generated a few minutes of 30–150 keV electron precipitation but only on the dayside, over a largeL-shell range (4.8 30 keV electron precipitation fluxes of 1.35 × 107 el cm−2 s−1 sr−1 were roughly the same level as other large substorm events previously analyzed, indicating either a sensitivity to the energetic electron environment prior to the event or that the satellite was in a vulnerable situation

Communicating Climate Knowledge

This forum article is the product of interdisciplinary discussion at a conference on climate histories held in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in early 2011, with the specific aim of building a network around the issue of communicating cultural knowledge of environmental change. The lead articles, by Kirsten Hastrup as an anthropologist and Simon Schaffer as a historian of science, highlight the role of agents and proxies. These are followed by five interdisciplinary commentaries, which engage with the lead articles through new ethnographic material, and a set of shorter commentaries by leading scholars of different disciplines. Finally, the lead authors respond to the discussion. In this debate, climate change does not emerge as a single preformed “problem.” Rather, different climate knowledges appear as products of particular networks and agencies. Just as the identification of proxies creates agents (ice, mountains, informants) by inserting them into new networks, we hope that these cross-disciplinary exchanges will produce further conversations and new approaches to action

Methodology of a multispecialty outpatient Obesity Treatment Research Program

Despite the large number of U.S. adults who overweight or obese, few providers have ready access to comprehensive lifestyle interventions, the cornerstone of medical obesity management. Our goal was to establish a research infrastructure embedded in a comprehensive lifestyle intervention treatment for obesity. The Obesity Treatment Research Program (OTRP) is a multi-specialty project at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota designed to provide a high intensity, year-long, comprehensive lifestyle obesity treatment. The program includes a nutritional intervention designed to reduce energy intake, a physical activity program and a cognitive behavioral approach to increase the likelihood of long-term adherence. The behavioral intervention template incorporated the Diabetes Prevention Program and the Look AHEAD trial materials. The OTRP is consistent with national recommendations for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, but with embedded features designed to identify patient characteristics that might help predict outcomes, assure long-term follow up and support various research initiatives. Our goal was to develop approaches to understand whether there are patient characteristics that predict treatment outcomes. Keywords: Obesity, Weight loss, Intensive lifestyle program, Exercise prescription, Intensive lifestyle intervention, Individualized obesity treatmen

Recurrence Analysis - Method and Applications

For alongtime,sciencehasbeenconsideredasasetofactivitiesconsistingof explaining,predicting,andverifyingphenomenaintermsofcause–effectrela- tionships.Thisperspectiveofinquiry,mainlybasedontheverification ofgeneral laws andanobjective,measurable,predictableideaofreality,underwentan importantphaseoftransformationattheendofthenineteenthcenturywhich markedachangeforthescientific rationalitymodelinbothnaturalandsocial sciences.Morespecifically,incontrasttothepredominantideaofsciencebasedon perfect determinism,thecorrectpredictionandrepeatabilityofresults,andacon- ceptionofrealityassimpleandordered,anewmodelofthinkingemergedwhich recognizedthenatureofscienceasbounded,probabilistic,pluralistic,andcon- stantly evolving.Thechangeofperspectivederivesfromtherecognitionofcom- plex phenomena(Eveetal. 1997; Byrne 2013; ByrneandCallaghan 2013), where behaviourisnotnecessarilydeterminedbyproportionalrelationshipsofcauseand effect.Thisinformsaweakerbutmorerealisticconceptionofdeterminism(Ber- tuglia andVaio 2003), whichcanalsoaccountforemergentandmultidimensional phenomena.Theepistemologicalaspectsinvolvedalsomethodologicalandtech- nical issues.Inthecaseofthetimeseriesanalysis,aspectrumofmodelshasbeen developed,rangingfromtheclassicaltomodernapproaches(Chatfield 2013)