Distrust: not only in secret service organizations

In this article, we discuss the issue of distrust in the most extreme example of distrustful organizations: secret service organizations. Distrust may be a basic organizing principle in such organizations, but how is it produced and maintained? Inspired by actor–network theory, we analyzed the devices, codes, rules, and procedures used in secret service organizations, and then asked whether these devices, codes, rules, and procedures differ from those used in ordinary organizations. Based on our analysis, we make two contributions. First, we draw researchers’ attention to distrust that is intentionally built and maintained rather than distrust that is accidental and indicative of faulty management. Second, we identify the material manifestations of distrust. We argue that in future studies of trust and distrust in organizations, it will be necessary to focus on the technologies, physical objects, and quasi-objects. These, together with discourses, guarantee the stability of connections among organizational actions

Application of a mobile measuring device for the planar evaluation of the current in-situ stress condition in glass

The load-bearing capacity of glass as a structural material as well as sustainability and resistance of a built-in glass against appearing loads and forces is assuming an ever-greater importance. Next to analytical and numerical calculations of maximum load-bearing capacity and the ultimate limit state, there is no generally accepted standardized non-destructive inspection method available, with which it is possible to estimate the prevalent load situation and predominant stress conditions, particularly in relation to mechanical or adhered connections. Within the research project “BiGla”, a measuring instrument based on photoelasticity was developed, which enables to measure and monitor occurring load states during the installation process, as well as the utilization of glass components subjected to significant load changes during their life cycle. Based on the combined examination of photoelasticity and its synergism with the finite element analysis it becomes possible to transfer qualitative measurement results into quantitative evaluations of predominant stress conditions. Achieved results, gained during experimental investigations under laboratory conditions, as well as during extensive field tests, are presented in this publication

Podstawy rozwoju mowy u dzieci

W pracy przedstawiono elementy powstawania i rozwoju mowy. Opisano fazy rozwojumowy w aspekcie elementów przydatnych lekarzom i logopedom do diagnostyki zaburzeńi ustalenia wskazań do terapii. Zarys obejmuje okres do siódmego roku życiadziecka

Examining the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis, multimorbidity and adverse health-related outcomes: a systematic review protocol

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterised by articular inflammation and systemic complications. Multimorbidity (the presence of two or more long-term health conditions) is highly prevalent in people with RA but the effect of multimorbidity on mortality and other health-related outcomes is poorly understood. Objective: To determine what is known about the effect, if any, of multimorbidity on mortality and health-related outcomes in individuals with RA. Design: Systematic review of the literature. The following electronic medical databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Scopus. Included studies will be quality appraised using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool developed by the Cochrane Prognosis Methods Group. A narrative synthesis of findings will be undertaken and meta-analyses considered, if appropriate. This protocol adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols 2015 guidelines, ensuring the quality of the review. Conclusions: Understanding the influence of multimorbidity on mortality and other health-related outcomes in RA will provide an important basis of knowledge with the potential to improve future clinical management of RA. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019137756

Hydrochemistry and environmental isotopes of spring water and their relation to structure and lithology identified with remote sensing methods in Wadi Araba, Egypt

Springs located at the historical sites of Wadi Araba (Eastern Desert of Egypt) and emerging from the escarpments of the Northern and Southern Galala Plateaus were investigated. A combination of methods, including hydrochemistry, stable and radioisotope composition, and structural analyses based on satellite data, provided information about the structure of the subsurface and the derived groundwater flow paths. Satellite images reveal karst features within the northern plateau, e.g. conical landforms. Karstic caves were documented along both escarpments. Chemical analysis of floodwater from Wadi Araba indicates higher concentrations of terrestrial salts compared to floodwaters from central and southern parts of the desert. δ 18 O and δ 2 H signatures in spring waters resemble those of floodwater and fall on the global meteoric water line, confirming their fast infiltration with minor influence of evaporation. The aquifer feeding the springs of the Northern Galala Plateau has low retention and the springs dry out quickly, even after heavy rainfall. Contrastingly, 3 H activities in springs emerging from the Southern Galala Plateau refer to much slower subsurface passage. With respect to 3 H content (3.8 TU) in recent flood waters, the spring water at Southern Galala Plateau contains about 40% recently recharged groundwater. However, its largest spring—the St. Antony spring—discharges water with a radiocarbon age of about 15,000 years. In combination with this spring’s constant and high discharge over a period of several months, that age estimate suggests a large reservoir with moderate to high retention.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel – 202

Modyfikacja stylu życia a choroby układu sercowo-naczyniowego

Choroby serca i naczyń stanowią problem zdrowotny na całym świecie. Brak aktywności fizycznej, niewłaściwa dieta, palenie tytoniu czy stres są czynnikami ryzyka wielu chorób cywilizacyjnych; zalicza się do nich również chorobę wieńcową. W pracy przedstawiono badania, w których potwierdzono korzystne skutki modyfikacji stylu życia u osób z chorobą wieńcową. Wykazano, że poważne zmiany dotyczące zachowań zdrowotnych hamują progresję tego schorzenia, a niektóre badania wskazują nawet na regresję zmian miażdżycowych w tętnicach wieńcowych. Zwrócono także uwagę na potrzebę określenia cech psychospołecznych pacjenta w kontekście prewencji pierwotnej i wtórnej. Informacje zdobyte przez lekarza na temat indywidualnej sytuacji życiowej i psychospołecznej chorego mają ogromne znaczenie praktyczne, gdyż pomagają wyznaczyć kierunek zmian stylu życia i rehabilitacji kardiologicznej

Gender differences in the association between grip strength and mortality in older adults: results from the KORA-age study

Published version. Source at http://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0381-4. License CC BY 4.0.Background: Reduced muscular strength in the old age is strongly related to activity impairment and mortality. However, studies evaluating the gender-specific association between muscularity and mortality among older adults are lacking. Thus, the objective of the present study was to examine gender differences in the association between muscular strength and mortality in a prospective population-based cohort study. Methods: Data used in this study derived from the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA)-Age Study. The present analysis includes 1,066 individuals (mean age 76 ± 11 SD years) followed up over 3 years. Handgrip strength was measured using the Jamar Dynamometer. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine adjusted hazard ratios of mortality with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for handgrip strength. Potential confounders (i.e. age, nutritional status, number of prescribed drugs, diseases and level of physical activity) were pre-selected according to evidence-based information. Results: During the follow-up period, 56 men (11%) and 39 women (7%) died. Age-adjusted mortality rates per 1,000 person years (95% CI) were 77 (59–106), 24 (13–41) and 14 (7–30) for men and 57 (39–81), 14 (7–27) and 1 (0–19) for women for the first, second and third sex-specific tertile of muscular strength, respectively. Low handgrip strength was significantly associated with all-cause mortality among older men and women from the general population after controlling for significant confounders. Hazard ratios (95% CI) comparing the first and second tertile to the third tertle were 3.33 (1.53–7.22) and 1.42 (0.61-3.28), respectively. Respective hazard ratios (95% CI) for mortality were higher in women than in men ((5.23 (0.67–40.91) and 2.17 (0.27–17.68) versus 2.36 (0.97–5.75) and 0. 97 (0.36–2.57)). Conclusions: Grip strength is inversely associated with mortality risk in older adults, and this association is independent of age, nutritional status, number of prescribed drugs, number of chronic diseases and level of physical activity. The association between muscular strength and all-cause mortality tended to be stronger in women. It seems to be particularly important for the weakest to enhance their levels of muscular strength in order to reduce the risk of dying early

Prevalence of chronic pain in LTCs and multimorbidity : a cross-sectional study using UK Biobank

This study was funded by Versus Arthritis (grant number 21970). This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource, approved project number 14151.Objectives : Chronic pain is often experienced alongside other long-term conditions (LTCs), yet our understanding of this, particularly in relation to multimorbidity (≥2 LTCs) is poor. We aimed to examine associations between the presence/extent of chronic pain with type/number of LTCs experienced. Methods : We examined the relationship between number/type of LTCs (N = 45) in UK Biobank participants (n = 500,295) who self-reported chronic pain lasting ≥3 months in seven body sites or widespread. Relative risk ratios (RRR) for presence/extent of chronic pain sites were compared using logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic (sex/age/socioeconomic status) and lifestyle factors (smoking/alcohol intake/BMI/physical activity). Results : 218,648 participants self-reported chronic pain. Of these, 69.1% reported ≥1 LTC and 36.2% reported ≥2 LTCs. In 31/45 LTCs examined, >50% of participants experienced chronic pain. Chronic pain was common with migraine/headache and irritable bowel syndrome where pain is a primary symptom, but also with mental health conditions and diseases of the digestive system. Participants with >4 LTCs were over three times as likely to have chronic pain (RRR 3.56, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 3.44–3.68) and 20 times as likely to have widespread chronic pain (RRR 20.13, 95% CI 18.26–22.19) as those with no LTCs. Conclusions: Chronic pain is extremely common across a wide range of LTCs. People with multimorbidity were at higher risk of having a greater extent of chronic pain. These results show that chronic pain is a key factor for consideration in the management of patients with LTCs or multimorbidity.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

REcomMEndations for DIAgnostics and MaNagemenT of Arterial Hypertension in Adults Aged 65 Years and Older for General Practitioners — REMEDIA NT 65+ GP

This text referring directly to the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in elderly patients is a translation of a fragment of REMEDIA NT 65+ GP published in the “Lekarz POZ” (GP Practitioner) journal 4/2018

Anti-ALK Antibodies in Patients with ALK-Positive Malignancies Not Expressing NPM-ALK.

Patients with Nucleophosmin (NPM)- Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) fusion positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma produce autoantibodies against ALK indicative of an immune response against epitopes of the chimeric fusion protein. We asked whether ALK-expression in other malignancies induces specific antibodies. Antibodies against ALK were detected in sera of one of 50 analysed ALK-expressing neuroblastoma patients, 13 of 21 ALK positive non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients, 13 of 22 ALK translocation-positive, but NPM-ALK-negative lymphoma patients and one of one ALK-positive rhabdomyosarcoma patient, but not in 20 healthy adults. These data suggest that boosting a pre-existent anti-ALK immune response may be more feasible for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC, lymphomas and rhabdomyosarcomas than for tumours expressing wild-type ALK.This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Jose Carreras Leukämie-Stiftung (DJCLS08/ 09) to WW, and RS. CDW and WW are additionally supported by the von behring röntgen stiftung (60-0011) and the Forschungshilfe Peiper, IO and RS by the Kinderkrebsinitiative Buchholz/HolmSeppensen and KP by Bloodwise, the Julian Starmer-Smith Memorial Fund and the Sam Foye Fund. SDT is a Bloodwise University Senior Lecturer and is also supported by the Alex Hulme Foundation and the Sam Foye Fund. MH is supported by a PhD studentship from the Wellcome Trust.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Ivyspring International via http://dx.doi.org/10.7150/jca.1523