The Role of the Intestinal Microbiome in Chronic Psychosocial Stress-Induced Pathologies in Male Mice

Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of physical and mental disorders accompanied or driven by an activated immune system. Given that chronic stress-induced systemic immune activation is lacking in germ-free and antibiotics-treated mice, a causal role of the gut microbiome in the development of stress-related disorders is likely. To address this hypothesis in the current study we employed the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days) paradigm, a pre-clinically validated mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress, known to alter the gut microbial signature and to induce systemic low-grade inflammation, as well as physical and mental abnormalities. In detail, we investigated if (i) CSC-induced alterations can be prevented by repeated transplantation of feces (FT) from non-stressed single-housed control (SHC) mice during CSC exposure, and (ii) if the transplantation of a “stressed” CSC microbiome is able to induce CSC effects in SHC mice. Therefore, we repeatedly infused SHC and CSC recipient mice rectally with SHC donor feces at days 4 and 11 of the CSC paradigm and assessed anxiety-related behavior on day 19 as well as physiological, immunological, and bone parameters on day 20. Furthermore, SHC and CSC recipient mice were infused with CSC donor feces at respective days. To exclude effects of rectal infusions per se, another set of SHC and CSC mice was infused with saline, respectively. Our results showed that transplantation of SHC feces had mild stress-protective effects, indicated by an amelioration of CSC-induced thymus atrophy, anxiety, systemic low-grade inflammation, and alterations in bone homeostasis. Moreover, transplantation of CSC feces slightly aggravated CSC-induced systemic low-grade inflammation and alterations in bone homeostasis in SHC and/or CSC animals. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for a role of the host’s microbiome in many, but not all, adverse consequences of chronic psychosocial stress. Moreover, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that transplantation of healthy feces might be a useful tool to prevent/treat different adverse outcomes of chronic stress. Finally, our data suggests that stress effects can be transferred to a certain extend via FT, proposing therapeutic approaches using FT to carefully screen fecal donors for their stress/trauma history

Закономерности микроструктурных изменений в титановом сплаве ВТ6 при деформации и наводороживании

Объектом исследования являются образцы титанового сплава марки ВТ6 прокатанные до различных степеней деформации методом механической прокатки. Исследование дефектной структуры проводилось с использованием методов позитронной спектроскопии, которые могут определять тип и концентрацию дефектов, а также химическое окружение данных дефектов. Однако, для получения количественной и качественной оценки количества дефектов методами позитронной спектроскопии необходима дополнительная информация о базовых дефектах и их влиянии на характеристики позитронной аннигиляции. Целью работы является анализ структурных изменений в титановом сплаве ВТ6 в зависимости от степени холоднокатаной пластической деформации и после наводороживания.The object of the study are samples of titanium alloy grade VT6 rolled to various degrees of deformation by mechanical rolling. The study of the defect structure was carried out using positron spectroscopy methods, which can determine the type and concentration of defects, as well as the chemical environment of these defects. However, to obtain a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the number of defects by the methods of positron spectroscopy, additional information is needed about the basic defects and their effect on the positron annihilation characteristics. The aim of the work is to analyze the structural changes in titanium alloy VT6, depending on the degree of cold-rolled plastic deformation and after hydrogenation

Bedeutung der Abdomen-Sonografie zur Infektfokussuche in der Notaufnahme

Introduction A very high number of patients presenting in emergency departments suffer from an unknown infection or rather fever. If diagnostic imaging is necessary ultrasound can be performed. Whether ultrasound is superior to medical history and clinical examination considering the significantly enhanced technology in recent years and hence has to be performed in patients without abdominal symptoms with non-obvious focus cannot be answered by review of the literature. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relevance of abdominal ultrasound in the determination of the site of infection and to analyse whether an abdominal ultrasound for the identification of the source of infection is dispensable in patients in whom history and clinical examination do not indicate an abdominal focus. Methods All patients undergoing an ultrasound between 2013/04 and 2013/07 in the emergency department of the university hospital of Regensburg were retrospectively analysed. 500 abdominal ultrasound examinations were performed for identifying an abdominal site of infection. These cases were analysed whether medical history and clinical examination were indicating an abdominal focus. Furthermore, on the basis of patient record and medical report the result of the performed ultrasound, final diagnosis, clinical parameters (lab results, fever) were retrospectively analysed. Results Based on the medical report in 208 (41.6 %) of the 500 reviewed cases there has been an abdominal focus. In 122 of these patients (59.0 %) abdominal ultrasound identified the abdominal focus correctly. In 206 patients (99.0 %) medical history and in 152 patients (73.1 %) clinical examination indicated an abdominal focus. A subgroup analysis regarding immunocompromised patients revealed that in 25 of 38 patients (65.8 %) an abdominal focus was determined via abdominal ultrasound. In patients with unremarkable medical history and clinical examination (23 examinations) no abdominal focus could be found via abdominal ultrasound. Discussion An urgent examination of the abdomen via ultrasound is dispensable in patients in whom history (provided complete history) and clinical examination (i.e. particularly no immunosuppression) do not indicate an abdominal focus

Recovery from respiratory failure after decompression laparotomy for severe acute pancreatitis

We present three cases of patients (at the age of 56 years, 49 years and 74 years respectively) with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), complicated by intra-abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) and respiratory insufficiency with limitations of mechanical ventilation. The respiratory situation of the patients was significantly improved after decompression laparotomy (DL) and lung protective ventilation was re-achieved. ACS was discussed followed by a short review of the literature. Our cases show that DL may help patients with SAP to recover from severe respiratory failure

Significance of scintigraphy for the localization of obscure gastrointestinal bleedings

AIM: To determine the role of scintigraphy in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding of unknown localization

Pandemic and post-pandemic influenza A (H1N1) seasons in a tertiary care university hospital—high rate of complications compared to previous influenza seasons

Introduction The aim was to study the characteristics and case severity of patients hospitalized for influenza with a pandemic strain at a German tertiary care university hospital in 2009/10 and 2010/11 and to compare them to two previous influenza seasons. Methods An observational study of all patients hospitalized for laboratory-confirmed influenza during the last four influenza seasons at Regensburg University Hospital was undertaken. Results During the last four seasons, a rising number of patients were admitted due to influenza (4 in 2007/8, 16 in 2008/9, 27 in 2009/10, and 55 in 2010/11). Patients seen in the last two seasons were younger (median age 63 years in 2007/8, 52 years in 2008/9, 42 years in 2009/10, and 48 years in 2010/11) (p = 0.046) and presented with a lower rate of major comorbidities (75 % in 2007/8, 62.5 % in 2008/9, 37 % in 2009/10, and 47.3 % in 2010/11). The pandemic and post-pandemic seasons were characterized by a high rate of seriously ill patients with longer hospitalizations (11 days in 2007/8, 7 days in 2008/9, 22 days in 2009/10 and 2010/11) (p = 0.004) and higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (25 % in 2007/8, 18.8 % in 2008/9, 66.7 % in 2009/10, and 52.7 % in 2010/11) (p = 0.003) and mechanical ventilation (25 % in 2007/8, 6.3 % in 2008/9, 63 % in 2009/10, and 49.1 % in 2010/11) (p < 0.001). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was necessary in 33.3 % of patients in 2009/10 and 25.5 % in 2010/11. We had six fatalities in both pandemic and post-pandemic seasons. Conclusion Compared to seasonal influenza, we observed even more so in the post-pandemic than the pandemic season a higher number of younger patients, with less serious comorbidities often showing a very severe course