Retinitis Due to Infections

Infections are a major cause for retinitis. Whereas Varicella-Zoster and Herpes Simplex viruses are the major reason for acute retinal necrosis, cytomegalovirus retinitis typically occurs in immunocompromised patients. Toxoplasmosis and toxocariasis are the major parasitic pathogens affecting the retina and adjacent tissues. Among the bacterial causes, tuberculosis, syphilis, and bartonellosis are discussed as retinal diseases. The emphasis is laid on the epidemiological and clinical peculiarities, the respective diagnostic procedures, and the therapeutic approaches. Moreover, global disease aspects of infectious retinitis are included

COVID-19 bei einer Großveranstaltung: Erfahrungen aus der Kieler Woche 2022

Im Juni 2022 fand die Kieler Woche ohne pandemiebedingte einschränkende Maßnahmen statt. Im Anschluss daran verdreifachte sich binnen weniger Tage die lokale Sieben-Tage-Inzidenz der SARS-CoV-2-Infektionen. Im selben Zeitraum war bei den COVID-19-bedingten Hospitalisierungen, schweren Erkrankungen und Todesfällen allenfalls ein schwacher Anstieg zu verzeichnen. Dagegen kam es aufgrund der Absonderungsmaßnahmen zu umfangreichen Personalausfällen unter anderem in Krankenhäusern sowie damit auch zu einem starken Rückgang der Anzahl der belegbaren Krankenhausbetten auf Normalstationen. Der Erfahrungsbericht fasst die verfügbaren, quantifizierbaren epidemiologischen Auswirkungen der Kieler Woche 2022 zusammen.Peer Reviewe

Flight Mechanical Design and Analysis of a Solar-Powered High-Altitude Platform

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is currently developing a high-altitude platform system in the context of the DLR-internal project HAP. The system includes the high-altitude platform itself, a flight operation concept and a ground control station. The underlying high-altitude platform is a solar-powered fixed-wing aircraft designed to be stationed in the stratosphere for several days and to carry payload for earth observation missions. The project HAP addresses the complete design process of the aircraft, from conceptual studies and detailed design up to the construction, flight test campaigns and the final operational clearance. This paper deals with the preliminary design phase of the aircraft. For this purpose, it briefly describes all disciplines involved and gives an insight into their methods used. Subsequently, it presents an assessment of the aircraft in terms of stability and control characteristics. Doing so, it first deals with a dynamic stability investigation using a non-linear 6-degrees-of-freedom flight dynamic model using a simple quasi-stationary approach to account for flexibility, in which the aerodynamic derivatives are given for different airspeed-dependent flight shapes. Based on this investigation, design changes are made. Second, it presents a control surface design choice process for the aircraft based on a defined flight mechanical requirement that is used for the design of the aircraft in lieu of those of the typical certification standards. This requirement addresses the necessary control authority to counteract the aircraft's responses due to gust encounters in order to not exceed afore-defined limits and to prevent the aircraft from entering a flight condition that it cannot be recovered from. Finally, an exemplary offset correction manoeuvre is simulated in order to demonstrate the aircraft's operability in real-flight scenarios

Flight mechanical analysis of a solar-powered high-altitude platform

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is currently developing an unmanned experimental solar-powered fixed-wing high-altitude platform designed to be stationed in the stratosphere for several days and to carry payload for earth observation missions. This paper deals with a flight mechanical analysis of the aircraft within the preliminary design phase. For this purpose, it briefly describes all disciplines involved in the preliminary design and gives an insight into their methods used. Subsequently, it presents an assessment of the aircraft in terms of stability and control characteristics. Doing so, it first deals with a dynamic stability investigation using a non-linear 6-degrees-of-freedom flight dynamic model with a simple quasi-stationary approach to account for flexibility, in which the aerodynamic derivatives are given for different airspeed-dependent flight shapes. The investigations show that the aircraft is naturally stable over the complete flight envelope. It does not have a typical short period mode. Instead, the corresponding mode involves altitude and airspeed changes to a large extent. At low airspeeds, the Dutch roll and spiral modes couple and form two non-classical modes. Second, it presents a control surface design evaluation process for the aircraft based on a flight mechanical requirement. This requirement addresses the necessary control authority to counteract the aircraft's responses due to gust encounters to not exceed afore-defined limits and to prevent the aircraft from entering a flight condition that it cannot be recovered from

Hydrography, biogeochemistry, microbial population, growth and substrate dynamics between subarctic and subantarctic waters in the Pacific Ocean during the cruises SO248 and SO254 with RV Sonne

Data presented here were collected during the two cruises SO248 and SO254 with RV SONNE in the Pacific Ocean at 25 stations along a transect closely following 180° longitude E/W between 52.1°S southeast of New Zealand and 58.9°N in the Bering Sea. The first cruise SO248 was conducted from Auckland, New Zealand, to Dutch Harbor, USA (May 1st, 2016 - June 3rd, 2016) and the second (SO254) took place from January 26th, 2017 - February 27th, 2017 and started and ended in Auckland, New Zealand. The data comprises hydrographical, chemical, biogeochemical and biological parameters

Antworten auf zentrale Fragen zur Einführung von CO2 Preisen

Diese Zusammenstellung einiger in der Öffentlichkeit häufig diskutierter Fragen zur CO2-Bepreisung bereitet den Stand der Forschung für Interessierte auf

Importance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis in the era of McDonald 2010 criteria: a German-Austrian retrospective multicenter study in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome

The majority of patients presenting with a first clinical symptom suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) do not fulfill the MRI criteria for dissemination in space and time according to the 2010 revision of the McDonald diagnostic criteria for MS and are thus classified as clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). To re-evaluate the utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis in the context of the revised McDonald criteria from 2010, we conducted a retrospective multicenter study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictive value of oligoclonal IgG bands (OCBs) in patients with CIS. Patients were recruited from ten specialized MS centers in Germany and Austria. We collected data from 406 patients; at disease onset, 44/406 (11 %) fulfilled the McDonald 2010 criteria for MS. Intrathecal IgG OCBs were detected in 310/362 (86 %) of CIS patients. Those patients were twice as likely to convert to MS according to McDonald 2010 criteria as OCB-negative individuals (hazard ratio = 2.1, p = 0.0014) and in a shorter time period of 25 months (95 % CI 21-34) compared to 47 months in OCB-negative individuals (95 % CI 36-85). In patients without brain lesions at first attack and presence of intrathecal OCBs (30/44), conversion rate to MS was 60 % (18/30), whereas it was only 21 % (3/14) in those without OCBs. Our data confirm that in patients with CIS the risk of conversion to MS substantially increases if OCBs are present at onset. CSF analysis definitely helps to evaluate the prognosis in patients who do not have MS according to the revised McDonald criteria

Minimum standards on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of occupational and work-related skin diseases in Europe - position paper of the COST Action StanDerm (TD 1206)

BACKGROUND: Skin diseases constitute up to 40% of all notified occupational diseases in most European countries, predominantly comprising contact dermatitis, contact urticaria, and skin cancer. While insufficient prevention of work-related skin diseases (WRSD) is a top-priority problem in Europe, common standards for prevention of these conditions are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To develop common European standards on prevention and management of WRSD and occupational skin diseases (OSD). METHOD: Consensus amongst experts within occupational dermatology was achieved with regard to the definition of minimum evidence-based standards on prevention and management of WRSD/OSD. RESULTS: By definition, WRSDs/OSDs are (partially or fully) caused by occupational exposure. The definition of OSD sensu stricto additionally includes diverging national legal requirements, with an impact on registration, prevention, management, and compensation. With the implementation of the classification of WRSD/OSD in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 11th Revision in future, a valid surveillance and comparability across countries will be possible. Currently, WRDS and OSD are still under-reported. Depending on legislation and regulations, huge differences exist in notification procedures in Europe, although notification is crucial to prevent chronic and relapsing disease. Facilities for early diagnosis, essential for individual patient management, should be based on existing guidelines and include a multidisciplinary approach. Patch testing is essential if contact dermatitis persists or relapses. Workplace exposure assessment of WRSD/OSD requires full labelling of product ingredients on material safety data sheets helping to identify allergens, irritants and skin carcinogens. Comparable standards in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention must be established in Europe to reduce the burden of WRSD/OSD in Europe. CONCLUSION: The adoption of common European standards on prevention of WRSD/OSD will contribute to reduce the incidence of OSD and their socio-economic burden