Förderung und Unterstützung der erfolgreichen Ausbildung zum Urologen durch die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Urologie

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Urologie (DGU) has set itself the task of supporting medical assistants on their way to becoming specialists in urology. At the same time, urological junior researchers have been given the opportunity to become part of the urological community at an early stage through the so-called junior membership of the DGU. The working group Young Urologists of the DGU addresses in particular topics such as the development of concepts for the promotion of young talent, improvement of further education, models for better compatibility of leisure/family and work as well as the compatibility of clinical and scientific work. As part of the DGU Congress, urological assistants can actively contribute by submitting abstracts for lecture or poster sessions. On the other hand, seminars and forums also address topics relevant to further education. To ensure this, representatives of the assistants are members of the scientific program commission of the DGU congress. The aim of the Junior Academy is to accompany young urologists on their way to becoming aspecialist with high-quality seminars. In addition, the Junior Academy offers personal support on the way to their targeted career goal. The Junior Academy has alarge network that makes it possible to learn from the best. The established Ferdinand-Eisenberger Research Fellowships allow young researchers in urology to be exempted from their clinical routine for one year in order to intensify independent scientific work at arenowned research institution in Germany. AuF-Symposia (working group urological research) and workshops are also aimed at young scientists. Further funding projects, such as support for DFG applications, are unique to the society

Wheat straw improved by half-rate application of anhydrous ammonia

Many tons of crop residues and other low-quality forages are produced in Kansas each year. Use of these forages often is limited by their low nutrient content and poor digestibility. The process of applying anhydrous ammonia to low-quality forages enhances their feeding value by increasing crude protein content and dry matter digestibility. In the summer of 2012, the persistence of drought conditions throughout Kansas reduced forage supplies and resulted in a dramatic increase in forage prices. In an effort to aid livestock producers, the K-State Beef Extension Specialist Team, in conjunction with the Livestock Production Program Focus Team, conducted wheat straw ammoniation demonstrations at 6 locations across Kansas. The objectives of these demonstrations were to: (1) demonstrate the process of using anhydrous ammonia to treat low-quality roughages, and (2) determine if the recommended rate of 3% anhydrous ammonia application (dry weight) could be decreased as a cost-saving measure. The effects of two anhydrous ammonia application rates (1.5 and 3.0% dry matter weight of stack, equivalent to 30 or 60 lb anhydrous ammonia/ton of dry forage) on subsequent forage quality and digestibility were evaluated

Generation of human brain organoids for mitochondrial disease modeling

Mitochondrial diseases represent the largest class of inborn errors of metabolism and are currently incurable. These diseases cause neurodevelopmental defects whose underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. A major roadblock is the lack of effective models recapitulating the early-onset neuronal impairment seen in the patients. Advances in the technology of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) enable the generation of three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids that can be used to investigate the impact of diseases on the development and organization of the nervous system. Researchers, including these authors, have recently introduced human brain organoids to model mitochondrial disorders. This paper reports a detailed protocol for the robust generation of human iPSC-derived brain organoids and their use in mitochondrial bioenergetic profiling and imaging analyses. These experiments will allow the use of brain organoids to investigate metabolic and developmental dysfunctions and may provide crucial information to dissect the neuronal pathology of mitochondrial diseases