Überraschende Pfundskerle!

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit geht der Frage nach, wie Mütter eine Frühgeburt erleben und wie sie mit der peri- und postnatalen Situation umgehen. Um einen authentischen Einblick in die Lage von Betroffenen zu bekommen, gliedert sich die Arbeit in zwei Teile: Im Zentrum des ersten steht die Aufarbeitung themenrelevanter Informationen und Sach-verhalte unter Berücksichtigung bestehender Erkenntnisse aus diversen wissenschaftli-chen Publikationen. An die theoretische Grundlegung anknüpfend, steht im Mittelpunkt des zweiten Teiles die empirische Untersuchung: Anhand von acht qualitativ geführten, erzählgenerierenden Interviews mit betroffenen Müttern unterschiedlicher Biografien wird das Erleben der Frühgeburt wie auch ihr Umgang damit auf peri- und postnataler Ebene erhoben. Die Datenauswertung der Interviews zeigt, dass die befragten Mütter eine Frühgeburt als psychisch verunsicherndes und belastendes Ereignis erleben. Vor allem das vielfach da-ran gekoppelte, ihnen versagte direkte Partizipieren am perinatalen Geschehen wird von den Müttern als große Enttäuschung erlebt. Zusätzlich zu den Sorgen um das Überleben des Kindes macht den Betroffenen die Konfrontation mit der neointensiven Atmosphäre vor allem beim Kontaktaufbau und der Beziehungsentwicklung mit dem Frühgeborenen schwer zu schaffen. Als Hilfen für die psychische Verarbeitung und einen gedeihlichen Umgang mit der Frühgeburt nennen die Mütter übereinstimmend Kommunikation, den moralischen Beistand und die Unterstützung von Personen aus dem privaten wie auch vereinzelt insti-tutionellen Umfeld. Insgesamt zeigt die Arbeit dringenden Verbesserungsbedarf im neointensiven Setting (Reduzierung technischer Utensilien durch z. B. berührungsloses Monitoring für mehr Körperkontakt zwischen Mutter und Kind) und hinsichtlich der Empathie in der Kommunikation des neonatologischen Stationspersonals auf. Im Rahmen eines verstärkten interdisziplinären Ansatzes kann es gelingen, die (unbewussten) Sorgen und Ängste aller Beteiligten zu berücksichtigen, um bestmögliche Voraussetzungen dafür zu schaffen, Frühgeborene und ihre Mütter gesund und glücklich in die Gesellschaft zu entlassen.The empricial-qualitative study investigates, how women experience a premature birth and how they cope with the peri- and postnatal situation. Eight mothers of preterm born infants (between 27 and 36 weeks gestation) were interviewed to recount their memories of the pregnancy, the premature birth, the typical enviroment at the neonatal intensive care unit as well as the first time, they spent with their babys at home. Results from this study indicate, that women perceive the unexpected, premature birth as an emotional burden, since they are hurled into motherhood. In addition, most of the interviewed mothers reacted to the preterm delivery with helplessness, anxiety, grief, fee-lings of loss and separation. Especially, the complete isolation from the perinatal happe-nings caused bitter disappointment. Since the neointensive nursing staff took over almost the whole responsibility for the baby, mothers had limited opportunity to participate in the care of the newborn during the hospitalisation of their infant, which was a big problem for the women. As coping strategies near all mothers reportet the sharing of their sorrows with familiy members, relatives and friends. To overcome this unsatisfactory situation for mothers of preterm infants at the neonatal intensive care unit, it is strongly recommended to redesign the training of the nursing staff and to extend the interdisciplinary cooperation with physicians, nurses, psychologists and spezial pedagogues

β Symmetry of Supergravity

Continuous O(d,d) global symmetries emerge in Kaluza-Klein reductions of D-dimensional string supergravities to D-d dimensions. We show that the nongeometric elements of this group effectively act in the D-dimensional parent theory as a hidden bosonic symmetry that fixes its couplings: the β symmetry. We give the explicit β transformations to first order in α′ and verify the invariance of the action as well as the closure of the transformation rules.Fil: Baron, Walter Helmut. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marques, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez, Carmen Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentin

The effective action of Double Field Theory

We perform a generalized Scherk-Schwarz dimensional reduction of Double Field Theory on a twisted double torus. The four dimensional effective action is shown to exactly reproduce the bosonic electric sector of gauged N = 4 supergravity. We present explicit expressions for the gaugings in terms of the twists, and analyze the associated string backgrounds. This framework provides a higher dimensional origin of the gaugings in terms of generalized fluxes.Comment: 45 pages, 1 figure; v2: minor corrections and references added; v3: published versio

Short-term dynamic patterns of bioaerosol generation and displacement in an indoor environment

The short-term dynamics and distribution of airborne biological and total particles have been assessed in a large university hallway by particle counting using laser particle counters and impaction air samplers. Particle numbers of four different size ranges were determined every 2min over several hours. Bioaerosols (culturable bacteria and fungi determined as colony-forming units) were directly collected every 5min on Petri dishes containing the appropriate growth medium. Results clearly show distinct short-term dynamics of particulate aerosols, of both biological and non-biological origin. These reproducible periodic patterns are closely related to periods when lectures are held in lecture rooms and the intermissions in between when students are present in the hallway. Peaks of airborne culturable bacteria were observed with a periodicity of 1h. Bioaerosol concentrations follow synchronously the variation in the total number of particles. These highly reproducible temporal dynamics should be considered when monitoring indoor environments to determine air qualit

Negative correlation does not imply a tradeoff between growth and reproduction in California oaks

A tradeoff between growth and reproduction, often inferred from an inverse correlation between these two variables, is a fundamental paradigm of life-history evolution. Oak species provide a unique test of this relationship because different species mature acorns either in the year of pollination or in the year after pollination. This difference allows for an interspecific comparison testing whether the apparent tradeoff is causal or the result of confounding factors influencing growth and reproduction independently. Based on 13 years of data on five California oak species, we found significant negative correlations between radial growth and seed production in the three species that produce acorns the same year in which pollination occurs, but not in two species that mature acorns the year after pollination. Rainfall, which correlates positively with radial growth and correlates negatively with acorn production (based on the year of pollination), appears to be driving this pattern. We conclude that the observed negative correlations are not causal, but rather a consequence of growth and reproduction being dependent, in opposite ways, on environmental conditions. Thus, contrary to the current consensus, growth and reproduction in these species are apparently largely independent of each other. In contrast, tradeoffs between current and future reproduction appear to be much more important in the life-history evolution of these long-lived plants. We also conclude that a negative correlation does not necessarily imply a causal mechanism and should not be used as the only evidence supporting a tradeoff

The c-ros tvrosine kinase receptor I controls regionalization and differehiation of epithelial cells in the epididymis

The c-ros gene was originally identified in mutant form as an oncogene. The proto-oncogene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor that is expressed in a small number of epithelial cell types, including those of the epididymis. Targeted mutations of c-ros in the mouse reveal an essential role of the gene in male fertility. Male c-ros -1- animals do not reproduce, whereas the fertility of female animals is not affected. We demonstrate that c-ros is not required in a cell autonomous manner for male germ cell development or function. The gene, therefore, does not affect sperm generation or function in a direct manner. The primary defect in the mutant animals was located in the epididymis, showing that c-ros controls appropriate development of the epithelia, particularly regionalization and terminal differentiation. The epididymal defect does not interfere with production or storage of sperm but, rather, with sperm maturation and the ability of sperm to fertilize in vivo. Interestingly, sperm isolated from c-ros - / - animals can fertilize in vitro. Our results highlight the essential role of the epididymis in male fertility and demonstrate a highly specific function of the c-ros receptor tyrosine kinase during development of distinct epithelial cell

Testing the Terminal Investment Hypothesis in California Oaks

The terminal investment hypothesis—which proposes that reproductive investment should increase with age-related declines in reproductive value—has garnered support in a range of animal species but has not been previously examined in long-lived plants, such as trees. We tested this hypothesis by comparing relative acorn production and radial growth among 1,0001 mature individuals of eight species of California oaks (genus Quercus) followed for up to 37 years, during which time 70 trees died apparently natural deaths. We found no significant differences in the radial growth, acorn production, or index of reproductive effort, taking into consideration both growth and reproduction among dying trees relative to either conspecific trees at the same site that did not die or growth and reproduction from earlier years for the focal trees that did eventually die. Furthermore, we found no consistent trade-off between growth and reproduction among trees that died, nor did dying trees significantly alter their relative investment in reproduction even as they underwent physical decline. Trees approaching the end of their lives are often in poor physical condition but do not appear to differentially invest more of their diminished resources in reproduction compared with healthy trees

Advances in screening for radiation-associated cardiotoxicity in cancer patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Radiation is foundational to the treatment of cancer and improves overall survival. Yet, it is important to recognize the potential cardiovascular effects of radiation therapy and how to best minimize or manage them. Screening-both through imaging and with biomarkers-can potentially identify cardiovascular effects early, allowing for prompt initiation of treatment to mitigate late effects. RECENT FINDINGS: Cardiac echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography, and measurements of troponin and natriuretic peptides serve as the initial screening tests of choice for RICD. Novel imaging applications, including positron emission tomography and specific MRI parameters, and biomarker testing, including myeloperoxidase, growth differentiation factor 15, galectin 3, micro-RNA, and metabolomics, hold promise for earlier detection and more specific characterization of RICD. Advances in imaging and novel applications of biomarkers have potential to identify subclinical RICD and may reveal opportunities for early intervention. Further research is needed to elucidate optimal imaging screening modalities, biomarkers, and surveillance strategies