Association of the biomarkers soluble ST2, galectin-3 and growth-differentiation factor-15 with heart failure and other non-cardiac diseases

AbstractBackgroundThe biomarkers soluble ST2 (sST2), galectin-3, and growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) provide prognostic information in patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to evaluate to which extent plasma concentrations of these biomarkers are increased in HF compared with diverse non-cardiac conditions such as infectious disease or chronic kidney disease.MethodsWe recruited 15 patients in each of the following clinical categories: HF without co-morbidity, pneumonia without co-morbidity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without co-morbidity, HF and a co-morbidity of pneumonia, renal disease without co-morbidity, and sepsis. We used 22 healthy individuals as control group. In each of the 112 study participants, we measured plasma concentrations of sST2 (Presage assay), galectin-3 (Abbott assay) and GDF-15 (Roche assay).ResultsCompared to controls, the median sST2 concentration was ~2.5-fold increased in HF, ~3.5-fold in pneumonia, ~5.0-fold in COPD, ~5.8-fold in HF+pneumonia, and ~70-fold in sepsis (p<0.001 for all). sST2 was not significantly increased in renal disease. Compared to controls, the median galectin-3 concentration was ~1.5-fold increased in HF, ~1.4-fold in pneumonia, ~2.4-fold in HF+pneumonia, ~2.5-fold in renal disease, and ~2.7-fold in sepsis (p<0.001 for all). Galectin-3 was not significantly increased in COPD. Compared to controls, the median GDF-15 concentration was ~4.4-fold increased in HF, ~5.4-fold in pneumonia, ~2.1-fold in COPD, ~8.3-fold in HF+pneumonia, ~5.1-fold in renal disease, and ~27-fold in sepsis (p<0.001). In the 112 study participants, correlation analyses revealed a relatively strong association between galectin-3 and GDF-15 (correlation coefficient, 0.739; p<0.001).ConclusionBecause increased plasma concentrations of sST2, galectin-3, and GDF-15 are not specific for a distinct disease group, the three biomarkers are not useful for diagnostic purposes. The results of our study are novel with respect to sST2, galectin-3 and GDF-15 as markers of inflammatory diseases and should encourage further studies

Barriers to health care access and service utilization of refugees in Austria: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey

This paper provides evidence on (1) refugees' subjective well-being, (2) their access and barriers to health care utilization and (3) their perception of health care provision in Austria, one of the countries most heavily affected by the European "refugee crisis". It is based on primary data from the Refugee Health and Integration Survey (ReHIS), a cross-sectional survey of roughly five hundred Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees. Results indicate that refugees' self-rated health falls below the resident population's, in particular for female and Afghan refugees. Whereas respondents state overall high satisfaction with the Austrian health system, two in ten male and four in ten female refugees report unmet health needs. Most frequently cited barriers include scheduling conflicts, long waiting lists, lack of knowledge about doctors, and language. Although treatment costs were not frequently considered as barriers, consultation of specialist medical services frequently associated with co-payment by patients, in particular dental care, are significantly less often consulted by refugees than by Austrians. Refugees reported comparably high utilization of hospital services, with daycare treatment more common than inpatient stays. We recommend to improve refugees' access to health care in Austria by a) improving the information flow about available treatment, in particular specialists, b) fostering dental health care for refugees, and c) addressing language barriers by providing (web-based) interpretation services

Psychosoziale Gesundheit und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe in Österreich: Zur Prävalenz von Angststörungen und Depressionen unter syrischen, irakischen und afghanischen Geflüchteten

Flucht und Asyl haben lange die öffentlichen Debatten in Europa bestimmt. In vielen Ländern haben rechtspopulistische Parteien an Bedeutung gewonnen. Eine Einigung darüber, wie die Europäische Union ihre Verantwortung gegenüber den weltweiten Fluchtbewegungen wahrnehmen kann, scheint in weiter Ferne. Der vorliegende Band trägt zu einer Ausdifferenzierung dieser Debatten bei. Einerseits regt er dazu an, Flucht und Asyl aus einer internationalen und historischen Perspektive sowie aus dem Blickwinkel der Betroffenen neu zu denken. Andererseits präsentiert er empirische Ergebnisse zur politischen und zivilgesellschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung mit Geflüchteten, zu ihrer Integration in den Arbeitsmarkt sowie zu den Möglichkeiten und Grenzen ihrer gesellschaftlichen und kulturellen Teilhabe

Internet Interventions / Exploring blended group interventions for depression : randomised controlled feasibility study of a blended computer- and multimedia-supported psychoeducational group intervention for adults with depressive symptoms

Background: Blended interventions aim to capitalise on the strengths of both computer-based and face-to-face therapy. Studies on this innovative treatment format remain scare. This especially accounts for the group treatment of depression. Method: The present study applied eclectic psychotherapy methods to an adult sample exhibiting a variety of depressive symptoms (N = 46). Participants were recruited by a newspaper inlet and randomised either to a treatment or a waiting list condition. Computer supported components were multimedia group sessions, e-learning, online videos and worksheets, remote therapist-patient communication and online pre-post-assessment. Results: Large between-group effect sizes on primary outcome depressiveness (CES-D) (F (1,44) = 4.88, p = 0.032; d = 0.87) and secondary outcome personal resources (resource scales) (F (1,44) = 9.04, p = 0.004; d = 0.73 to F (1,44) = 8.82 p = 0.005, d = 1.15) were found in the intention to treat analysis (ANOVA). Subjective evaluation of the intervention revealed high treatment adherence (91%) and high perceived relevance of supportive computer and multimedia components. Participants rated computer and multimedia components comparable to treatment elements such as group interaction or specific cognitive behavioural exercises, and 25% associated the utilisation of those components with treatment success. Depressiveness and age did not predict the utilisation and the appraisal of computer and multimedia components. Discussion: Results provide preliminary support for the acceptability and feasibility of the investigated blended treatment in a group with non-specific depressive symptoms. However, small sample size and lack of diagnostics restrict generalizability. Additional research in clinical settings is needed.(VLID)216526

Rassenschande, genocide and the reproductive Jewish body: examining the use of rape and sexualized violence against Jewish women during the Holocaust

Rape and sexual violence against Jewish women is a relatively unexplored area of investigation. This article adds to the scant literature on this topic. It asks: how and why did women's reproductive bodies (gender), combined with their status as Jews (race), make them particularly vulnerable during the Holocaust? The law against Rassenschande (racial defilement) prohibited sexual relations between Aryans and non-Aryans. Yet, Jewish women were raped by German men. Providing a more nuanced account than is provided by the dehumanization thesis, this article argues that women were targeted precisely because of their Jewishness and their reproductive capabilities. In addition, this piece proposes that the genocidal attack on women's bodies in the form of rape (subsequently leading to the murder of impregnated women) and sexualized violence (forced abortions and forced sterilizations) must be interpreted as an attack on an essentialized group: woman-as-Jew

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Bildungsungleichheit in österreichischen Volksschulen

Die Reduktion von Bildungsungleichheit in österreichischen Volksschulen ist für die Realisierung der Chancengleichheit, welche in den österreichischen Bundesverfassungsgesetzen (Bundespressedienst, 2000) verankert ist, von großer Bedeutung. Rutter (2021) konnte im Rahmen ihrer Forschung die Familie als primären Faktor für Bildungsungleichheit benennen, Einschätzungen aus dieser Perspektive blieben jedoch offen. Darum geht diese Arbeit den Forschungsfragen nach, wie Erziehungsberechtigte die Bildungschancen ihrer Kinder wahrnehmen und wen sie für den Bildungserfolg ihres Kindes verantwortlich machen. Die Forschungsfragen wurden mittels quantitativer Umfrage untersucht. Es wurde ein Fragebogen erstellt, welcher sich an alle Erziehungsberechtigten eines Volksschulkindes richtete. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Eltern mit privilegierter sozialer Herkunft die Schulleistung, Schule und Lehrkraft ihres Kindes tendenziell besser einschätzen als Eltern mit eher benachteiligter sozialer Herkunft. Die Befragten definierten das eigene Kind, die Mutter, den Vater und die Lehrkräfte als Hauptverantwortliche für den Bildungserfolg, wobei die Meinungen zwischen Eltern mit unterschiedlicher sozialer Herkunft stark auseinandergehen. Grundsätzlich lässt sich sagen, dass Erziehungsberechtigte mit privilegierter sozialer Herkunft tendenziell mehr Personen für den Bildungserfolg ihres Kindes verantwortlich machen als Erziehungsberechtigte mit eher benachteiligter sozialer Herkunft. Diese Erkenntnisse tragen dazu bei, das Bewusstsein von Lehrkräften für Bildungsungleichheit zu sensibilisieren und unterschiedlichen Einschätzungen von Eltern zum Thema Bildung professionell zu begegnen. Da Menschen mit sozial privilegierter Herkunft die Lehrkraft in der Umfrage tendenziell besser bewertet haben, kann Feedback auf Grundlage dieser Erkenntnis differenziert betrachtet werden. Tendenziell schlechteres Feedback für Lehrkräfte in sozial benachteiligten Schulen könnte dadurch erklärt werden.The reduction of educational inequality in primary schools in Austria is important for the realisation of equal opportunities, which are part of the federal constitution in Austria (Bundespressedienst, 2000). Rutter (2021) was able to name the family as the primary factor for educational inequality as part of her research, but assessments from this perspective remained open. Therefore, this thesis investigates the research questions of how parents perceive their children's educational opportunities and who they hold responsible for their child's educational success. The research questions were investigated by means of a quantitative survey. A questionnaire was created, which was aimed at all parents of a primary school child. The results represent parents with privileged social background estimate the school achievements, the school and the teachers on trend better than parents with disadvantaged social background. The participants define their own child, the mother, the father, and the teachers as primarily responsible for the educational achievements, however the beliefs of parents with different social background are quite different. As a principal parents with privileged social background tend to hold more people responsible for the educational success of their children as parents with disadvantaged social backgrounds. These findings help to raise teachers' awareness of educational inequality and to professionally counter different assessments of parents about education. Since people from socially privileged backgrounds tended to rate the teachers in the survey better, feedback can be viewed in a differentiated way based on this finding. This could explain the tendency towards poorer feedback from teachers in socially disadvantaged schools

Das Operationelle Programm Beschäftigung des Europäischen Sozialfonds – Österreich 2014-2020. Bericht der Begleitenden Evaluierung zu Konzeption und Umsetzung.

Die begleitende Evaluierung des Europäischen Sozialfonds hat eine Laufzeit von 2017 bis 2022 und umfasst die drei thematischen Prioritätsachsen (PA) des Operationellen ESF-Programms Beschäftigung (PA 1), Armut (PA 2), Verhinderung des Ausbildungsabbruchs und Lebenslanges Lernen (PA 3) sowie die Maßnahmen in der Übergangsregion Burgenland (PA 4). Die fünfte Prioritätsachse des Programms, die Technische Hilfe, ist damit nicht Evaluierungsgegenstand. Untersucht werden auch die bereichsübergreifenden Ziele Gender Mainstreaming und Gleichstellung beziehungsweise Disability Mainstreaming und Barrierefreiheit. Darüber hinaus wird eine Reihe von Indikatoren, die für das Monitoring benötigt werden, seitens der Evaluierung erhoben. Insgesamt knapp 78% der geplanten Fördermittel entfallen auf die Prioritätsachsen 2 (Armut) und 3 (Verhinderung des Ausbildungsabbruchs und Lebenslanges Lernen). Diese beiden quantitativ bedeutsamsten Ansätze werden im Rahmen der begleitenden Evaluierung intensiver untersucht, während sich die Bewertung kleineren Prioritäten auf andere spezifische Evaluierungen als Informationsgrundlagen stützt, welche innerhalb oder außerhalb des ESF-Programms vor allem zu den innovativen Ansätzen beauftragt wurden. Prioritäten, die sowohl in der Übergangsregion Burgenland, als auch in den stärker entwickelten Regionen verankert sind, werden gemeinsam betrachtet

Human intestine and placenta exhibit tissue-specific expression of RAGE isoforms

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is encoded by AGER, a gene that is subjected to tissue-specific alternative splicing. Splice variants of RAGE in intestine and placenta are unknown and contradictory data concerning RAGE protein expression in these tissues have been published. As a basis for future functional studies, we examined RAGE expression in small intestine, colon and placentas. PCR cloning revealed that full-length RAGE is the only RAGE transcript isoform expressed in placenta. In the small intestine, the major transcript isoform detected was RAGE_v1 encoding the C-terminally truncated soluble receptor. In the colon, both full-length RAGE as well as several splice variants were identified. Four antibodies were used to study protein expression by immunoblotting and were carefully validated. Appropriate controls were essential to avoid misinterpretation of bands caused by non-specific reactivity of antibodies. Only one of four antibodies tested detected full-length RAGE in placenta, whereas no RAGE-specific band was detected in intestinal tissues despite loading >30-fold more intestinal tissue than the positive control, human lung. RAGE expression levels in the placenta were 100-fold lower compared with human lung when analyzed by ELISA, and no significant differences in RAGE expression were detected between healthy placentas and placentas from women with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, or fetal growth restriction. We conclude that healthy placental chorionic tissue expresses low levels of full-length RAGE, whereas expression of the tissue-specific intestinal isoforms is below the limit of detection. Low RAGE expression levels in combination with a lack of antibody validation may explain the conflicting published results on RAGE protein expression in intestine and placenta