Nachweismethode für eine grünlandbasierte Fütterung: Untersuchung von 13C im Rinderhaar zur Bestimmung des Maisanteils in der Ration sowie zur Eignung als quantitativer Nachweis einer grünlandbasierten Fütterung

In einer Praxisstudie wurde geprüft, ob die Stabilisotopenanalyse von Rinderhaarproben ein praxistaugliches Verfahren darstellt, um retrospektiv auf die Zusammensetzung des Futters zu schließen. Es konnte bestätigt werden, dass es einen sehr starken Zusammenhang zwischen dem Delta-13-C-Wert im Haar und dem Maisanteil in der Fütterung gibt. Darüber lässt sich auch der Grasanteil in der Ration abschätzen. Die Publikation richtet sich an das Fachpublikum sowie die interessierte Öffentlichkeit. Redaktionsschluss: 22.02.202

Anbaueignung neuer Futterpflanzenmischungen: Prüfung der Anbaueignung und des Futterwertes von Chicorée und Esparsette als Mischungspartner von Grünlandmischungen als Anpassungsstrategie an den Klimawandel

Futterchicorée und Esparsette als Mischungspartner von Grünlandmischungen zeichnen sich durch eine höhere Trockenstressverträglichkeit als bisher angebaute Futterpflanzen aus. Sie können in begrenztem Umfang zu einer Verbesserung der Futterbausituation in extremen Trockenphasen beitragen. Vor allem auf wärmeren, leichten Standorten mit großer Durchwurzelungstiefe lassen sie sich deutlich besser anbauen als auf flachgründigen, schweren Böden in kühlerer Lage. Dabei ist eine Nutzung mit geringer Schnittfrequenz bzw. Beweidung einer intensiven Bestandesführung vorzuziehen. Redaktionsschluss: 31.03.202

Improving Productivity Through Enhancing Employee Wellbeing and Participation

This paper outlines the rationale and methodology for an international comparative project investigating the links between workplace productivity and employee wellness and well being via the operation of representative employee participation structures in Denmark and New Zealand. It will define and discuss the often contentious terms of productivity, wellbeing and participation and how employee participation and wellbeing and the work environment impact on productivity. This paper employs a multi-dimensional theoretical framework and will assess the significance of the issues examined: analyse the impact of employment practices and quality of the work environment on productivity: and as a result present the methodology developed for the project

Improving Productivity Through Enhancing Employee Wellbeing and Participation

This paper outlines the rationale and methodology for an international comparative project investigating the links between workplace productivity and employee wellness and well being via the operation of representative employee participation structures in Denmark and New Zealand. It will define and discuss the often contentious terms of productivity, wellbeing and participation and how employee participation and wellbeing and the work environment impact on productivity. This paper employs a multi-dimensional theoretical framework and will assess the significance of the issues examined: analyse the impact of employment practices and quality of the work environment on productivity: and as a result present the methodology developed for the project

Are selected IL-1 polymorphisms and selected subgingival microorganisms significantly associated to periodontitis in type 2 diabetes patients? a clinical study

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the periodontal conditions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to metabolically healthy controls, and determined whether periodontal interleukin genotypes and microorganisms differed between participants with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: From April 2011 to July 2012, we prospectively enrolled healthy controls and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Evaluation included assessment of medical and periodontal findings. We also recorded the presence of several interleukin gene variants and specific microorganisms, both available through commercially available diagnostic kits. Statistical significance was tested by the chi-square test and student’s t-test. RESULTS: We enrolled 52 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 52 healthy controls. Compared with controls, periodontal disease was significantly more severe in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus for the following: plaque index, bleeding on probing, pocket probing depth, clinical attachment loss, severe periodontal destruction (i.e., clinical attachment loss ≥ 5 mm), and number of teeth. However, statistical analysis failed to detect significant differences with respect to the periodontal-related interleukin genotypes (p ≥ 0.58) or the selected oral microbiota (p ≥ 0.15). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it may be assumed that chronic periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is most strongly associated with inadequate oral hygiene. Periodontal interleukin genotypes and differences in oral microbiota seem to play a subordinate role

Correction: Fehlhofer et al. Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Biofilm Samples and Clinical Association in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Remission—A Pilot Study. Life 2024, 14, 367

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Who stays, who benefits? Predicting dropout and change in cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis

This study investigates predictors of outcome in a secondary analysis of dropout and completer data from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial comparing CBTp to a wait-list group (Lincoln et al., 2012). Eighty patients with DSM-IV psychotic disorders seeking outpatient treatment were included. Predictors were assessed at baseline. Symptom outcome was assessed at post-treatment and at one-year follow-up. The predictor x group interactions indicate that a longer duration of disorder predicted less improvement in negative symptoms in the CBTp but not in the wait-list group whereas jumping-to-conclusions was associated with poorer outcome only in the wait-list group. There were no CBTp specific predictors of improvement in positive symptoms. However, in the combined sample (immediate CBTp+the delayed CBTp group) baseline variables predicted significant amounts of positive and negative symptom variance at post-therapy and one-year follow-up after controlling for pre-treatment symptoms. Lack of insight and low social functioning were the main predictors of drop-out, contributing to a prediction accuracy of 87%. The findings indicate that higher baseline symptom severity, poorer functioning, neurocognitive deficits, reasoning biases and comorbidity pose no barrier to improvement during CBTp. However, in line with previous predictor-research, the findings imply that patients need to receive treatment earlier

Accuracy Analysis of a Next-Generation Tissue Microarray on Various Soft Tissue Samples of Wistar Rats

This study aimed to investigate accuracy in different sectional planes of the TMA Grand Master (3DHISTECH) Workstation in various soft tissue samples collected from Wistar rats. A total of 108 animals were sacrificed and 963 tissue specimens collected from 12 soft-tissue types. A total of 3307 tissue cores were punched and transferred into 40 recipient TMA blocks. Digital image analysis was performed. Core loss showed a significant correlation with tissue type and was highest in skin tissue (p < 0.001), renal medulla and femoral artery, nerve, and vein bundle (p < 0.01). Overall, 231 of 3307 tissue cores (7.0%) were lost. Hit rate analysis was performed in 1852 punches. The target was hit completely, partially and missed totally by 89.4%, 7.2% and 2.2%. A total of 54.5% of punches had good accuracy with less than 200 µm deviation from the centre of the targeted region and 92.6% less than 500 µm. Accuracy decreases with greater sectional depth. In the deepest sectional plane of roughly 0.5 mm median depth, almost 90% of cores had a deviation below 500 µm. Recommendations for automated TMA creation are given in this article. The ngTMA®-method has proven accurate and reliable in different soft tissues, even in deeper sectional layers