Effects of heat shocks on biofilm formation and the influence on corrosion and scaling in a geothermal plant in the North German Basin

At geothermal plants, process failures often occur due to corrosion and scaling processes. Especially after heat extraction, sulfate reducing bacteria contribute to corrosion processes by producing reduced sulfur compounds. In biofilms containing scales such as iron sulfides, corrosion processes are enhanced. In a mobile bypass system located at the geothermal plant in Neubrandenburg (North German Basin), the influence of biofilm formation on corrosion and scaling was investigated. Short-term heat shocks were successfully tested in the bypass system in order to reduce biofilm formation and thus to diminish corrosion and scaling processes

Reproducibility of pulmonary magnetic resonance angiography in adults with muco-obstructive pulmonary disease

Background Recent studies support magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) as a diagnostic tool for pulmonary arterial disease. Purpose To determine MRA image quality and reproducibility, and the dependence of MRA image quality and reproducibility on disease severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis (CF). Material and Methods Twenty patients with COPD (mean age 66.5 ± 8.9 years; FEV1% = 42.0 ± 13.3%) and 15 with CF (mean age 29.3 ± 9.3 years; FEV1% = 66.6 ± 15.8%) underwent morpho-functional chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including time-resolved MRA twice one month apart (MRI1, MRI2), and COPD patients underwent non-contrast computed tomography (CT). Image quality was assessed visually using standardized subjective 5-point scales. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were measured by regions of interest. Disease severity was determined by spirometry, a well-evaluated chest MRI score, and by computational CT emphysema index (EI) for COPD. Results Subjective image quality was diagnostic for all MRA at MRI1 and MRI2 (mean score = 4.7 ± 0.6). CNR and SNR were 4 43.8 ± 8.7 and 50.5 ± 8.7, respectively. Neither image quality score nor CNR or SNR correlated with FEV1% or chest MRI score for COPD and CF (r = 0.239–0.248). CNR and SNR did not change from MRI1 to MRI2 (P = 0.434–0.995). Further, insignificant differences in CNR and SNR between MRA at MRI1 and MRI2 did not correlate with FEV1% nor chest MRI score in COPD and CF (r = −0.238–0.183), nor with EI in COPD (r = 0.100–0.111). Conclusion MRA achieved diagnostic quality in COPD and CF patients and was highly reproducible irrespective of disease severity. This supports MRA as a robust alternative to CT in patients with underlying muco-obstructive lung disease

Effects of Lumacaftor/Ivacaftor on Cystic Fibrosis Disease Progression in Children 2 through 5 Years of Age Homozygous for F508del-CFTR: A Phase 2 Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

RATIONALE Lumacaftor/ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) was shown to be safe and well tolerated in children 2 through 5 years of age with cystic fibrosis (CF) homozygous for F508del-CFTR in a phase 3 open-label study. Improvements in sweat chloride concentration, markers of pancreatic function, and lung clearance index2.5 (LCI2.5), along with increases in growth parameters, suggested the potential for early disease modification with LUM/IVA treatment. OBJECTIVE To further assess the effects of LUM/IVA on CF disease progression in children 2 through 5 years of age using chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS This phase 2 study had two parts: a 48-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment period in which children 2 through 5 years of age with CF homozygous for F508del-CFTR received either LUM/IVA or placebo (Part 1) followed by an open-label period in which all children received LUM/IVA for an additional 48 weeks (Part 2). We report results from Part 1. The primary endpoint was absolute change from baseline in chest MRI global score at Week 48. Secondary endpoints included absolute change in LCI2.5 through Week 48 and absolute changes in weight-for-age, stature-for-age, and body mass index-for-age z-scores at Week 48. Additional endpoints included absolute changes in sweat chloride concentration, fecal elastase-1 levels, serum immunoreactive trypsinogen, and fecal calprotectin through Week 48. The primary endpoint was analyzed using Bayesian methods, where the actual Bayesian posterior probability of LUM/IVA being superior to placebo in the MRI global chest score at Week 48 was calculated using a vague normal prior distribution; secondary and additional endpoints were analyzed using descriptive summary statistics. RESULTS Fifty-one children were enrolled and received LUM/IVA (n=35) or placebo (n=16). For the change in MRI global chest score at Week 48, the Bayesian posterior probability of LUM/IVA being better than placebo (treatment difference <0; higher score indicating greater abnormality) was 76%; the mean treatment difference was -1.5 (95% credible interval, -5.5 to 2.6). Treatment with LUM/IVA also led to within-group numerical improvements in LCI2.5, growth parameters, and biomarkers of pancreatic function as well as greater decreases in sweat chloride concentration compared with placebo from baseline through Week 48. Safety data were consistent with the established safety profile of LUM/IVA. CONCLUSIONS This placebo-controlled study suggests the potential for early disease modification with LUM/IVA treatment, including that assessed by chest MRI, in children as young as 2 years. Clinical trial registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03625466)

Bürgerwissenschaftliche Forschungsansätze in Medizin und Gesundheitsforschung: ausgewählte Begriffe mit Fokus auf den Beteiligungsgrad

In den Bürgerwissenschaften, auch bekannt unter dem englischen Begriff Citizen Science, existiert eine Vielzahl an Forschungsansätzen und Methoden. Während diese in vielen wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen gut etabliert sind, finden sich augenscheinlich relativ wenige davon in der medizinischen und Gesundheitsforschung. Allerdings zeigt ein Blick in die Praxis, dass bürgerwissenschaftliche Ansätze in der Medizin und Gesundheitsforschung durchaus praktiziert werden, jedoch häufig unter anderen Namen. Der Artikel bietet aus interdisziplinärer Perspektive einen (selektiven) Überblick über Begriffe, reflektiert diese und die dahinterstehenden Methoden und diskutiert sie vergleichend. Im Fokus steht dabei der Grad der Beteiligung der Bürger*innen bzw. Patient*innen an wissenschaftlicher Forschung.In citizen science, a variety of research approaches and methods exist. While these are well established in many scientific disciplines, there are apparently relatively few of them in medical and health research. However, a glance at practice shows that citizen science approaches are indeed practiced in medical and health research, but often under different names. The paper therefore provides a (selective) overview of these terms, reflects on them and the methods behind them, and discusses them comparatively from an interdisciplinary perspective. The focus is on the degree of active participation of citizens and patients in research

Since 2015 the SinoGerman research project SIGN supports water quality improvement in the Taihu region, China

The Taihu (Tai lake) region is one of the most economically prospering areas of China. Due to its location within this district of high anthropogenic activities, Taihu represents a drastic example of water pollution with nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate), organic contaminants and heavy metals. High nutrient levels combined with very shallow water create large eutrophication problems, threatening the drinking water supply of the surrounding cities. Within the international research project SIGN (SinoGerman Water Supply Network, www.water-sign.de), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), a powerful consortium of fifteen German partners is working on the overall aim of assuring good water quality from the source to the tap by taking the whole water cycle into account: The diverse research topics range from future proof strategies for urban catchment, innovative monitoring and early warning approaches for lake and drinking water, control and use of biological degradation processes, efficient water treatment technologies, adapted water distribution up to promoting sector policy by good governance. The implementation in China is warranted, since the leading Chinese research institutes as well as the most important local stakeholders, e.g. water suppliers, are involved

Die Studienbibliothek Linz in der NS-Zeit

Within the framework of a diploma thesis completed at the end of 2009, a first step has been taken towards an analysis and documentation of the history of the Study Library (Studienbibliothek) Linz – today called Library of the Province of Upper Austria (Oberösterreichische Landesbibliothek) – during the Nazi regime. The results of this research work are presented in this paper. A brief journey through the history of the library takes us from the important groundwork done by Josef Hofinger during his tenure as head librarian from 1935 to 1938 to the difficult tasks and problems the Study Library had to cope with in the post-war years until 1948. The war years were primarily characterized by the excessive acquisition policy of Walter Luegmayer, who was appointed head librarian by the Nazis and during whose term of office the library was stocked with thousands of books looted and confiscated by National Socialist authorities. As far as is known, the majority of these books were the property of institutions and societies dissolved or persecuted by the Nazis (Seminary Linz, Capuchin Monastery Linz, Chamber of Labour Linz, Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, Commercial Association Linz, Upper Austrian Public Education Society, Upper Austrian monasteries) or confiscated from Jewish private owners (Georg Landauer). The main purpose of the research work was to reconstruct, how some of these books found their way into the Study Library and – if possible – to clarify the issue of restitution. The main focus is on the private library of Georg Landauer and on collections owned by the church

Provenienzforschung an der Universitätsbibliothek Salzburg - ein Werkstattbericht

Provenance Research at the University Library of Salzburg - preliminary report. In 2009, the University Library of Salzburg, formerly known as Studienbibliothek Salzburg, started a provenance research project which pursues two objects: First, the history of the library during Staendestaat and National Socialism is analyzed, and, second, the inventory of the library is examined for Nazi book loot. The project does not only investigate library acquisitions between 1933 and 1945, but scans all acquisitions from 1933 up to the present. This article is a preliminary report and delivers insight into current research. The main issues are the autopsy of the inventory, the management of the project data bank, and research on previous owners of suspicious books. After a short overview of the development and the organization of the project, three current cases are described. These three cases are all library acquisitions from after 1945: Supposedly “ownerless” loot from the Offenbach Archival Depot; books of the Jewish banker Stefan Auspitz that entered the library via the legacy of the Russian art historian Wladimir Rakint; and books from Burg Finstergruen Castle which the library acquired at a local antiquarian bookshop

Die Studienbibliothek Linz in der NS-Zeit

Within the framework of a diploma thesis completed at the end of 2009, a first step has been taken towards an analysis and documentation of the history of the Study Library (Studienbibliothek) Linz – today called Library of the Province of Upper Austria (Oberösterreichische Landesbibliothek) – during the Nazi regime. The results of this research work are presented in this paper. A brief journey through the history of the library takes us from the important groundwork done by Josef Hofinger during his tenure as head librarian from 1935 to 1938 to the difficult tasks and problems the Study Library had to cope with in the post-war years until 1948. The war years were primarily characterized by the excessive acquisition policy of Walter Luegmayer, who was appointed head librarian by the Nazis and during whose term of office the library was stocked with thousands of books looted and confiscated by National Socialist authorities. As far as is known, the majority of these books were the property of institutions and societies dissolved or persecuted by the Nazis (Seminary Linz, Capuchin Monastery Linz, Chamber of Labour Linz, Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, Commercial Association Linz, Upper Austrian Public Education Society, Upper Austrian monasteries) or confiscated from Jewish private owners (Georg Landauer). The main purpose of the research work was to reconstruct, how some of these books found their way into the Study Library and – if possible – to clarify the issue of restitution. The main focus is on the private library of Georg Landauer and on collections owned by the church.Im Rahmen einer Ende 2009 abgeschlossenen Diplomarbeit wurde auf Grundlage bislang noch nicht ausgewerteter Akten ein erster Schritt zur Aufarbeitung der Geschichte der Studienbibliothek Linz, der heutigen Oö. Landesbibliothek, in der NS-Zeit gesetzt. Die Ergebnisse der Arbeit sollen in vorliegendem Beitrag präsentiert werden. Ein kurzer Streifzug durch die Bibliotheksgeschichte führt von der von Josef Hofinger geleisteten Aufbauarbeit in seiner Zeit als Bibliotheksleiter von 1935 bis 1938 bis hin zu den Problemen und Aufgaben, die die Studienbibliothek in den Nachkriegsjahren bis 1948 zu bewältigen hatte. Die Zeit dazwischen sticht vor allem durch die exzessive Erwerbungspolitik des von den Nationalsozialisten eingesetzten Bibliotheksleiters Walter Luegmayer ins Auge, in dessen Amtszeit tausende NS-verfolgungsbedingt entzogene Bücher in die Magazine der Bibliothek gelangten. Soweit bekannt, handelte es sich dabei insbesondere um das Eigentum aufgelöster bzw. verfolgter Einrichtungen und Vereine (Priesterseminar Linz, Kapuzinerkloster Linz, Arbeiterkammer Linz, Oö. Landwirtschaftskammer, Kaufmännischer Verein Linz, Oö. Volksbildungsverein, oö. Stifte), aber auch um jüdischen Privatbesitz (Georg Landauer). Ziel ist es, den Weg einiger dieser Bestände in die Studienbibliothek zu rekonstruieren und – so weit wie möglich – die Frage nach deren Restitution zu klären. Der Fokus liegt auf der Privatbibliothek des Georg Landauer sowie auf den aus kirchlichen Sammlungen stammenden Bänden