Numerical simulation of growth of Escherichia coli in unsaturated porous media

A model for the aerobic and anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli (HB101 K12 pGLO) depending on the concentration of oxygen and DOC as substrate has been developed based on laboratory batch experiments. Using inverse modelling to obtain optimal sets of parameters, it could be shown that a model based on a modified double Contois kinetic can predict cell densities, organic carbon utilisation, oxygen transfer and utilisation rates for a large number of experiments under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with a single unique set of parameters. The model was extended to describe growth of E. coli in unsaturated porous media, combining diffusion, phase exchange and microbiological growth. Experiments in a Hele-Shaw cell, filled with quartz sand, were conducted to study bacterial growth in the capillary fringe above a saturated porous medium. Cell density profiles in the Hele-Shaw cell were predicted with the growth model and the parameters from the batch experiments without any further calibration. They showed a very good qualitative and quantitative agreement with cell densities determined from samples taken from the Hele-Shaw cell by re-suspension and subsequent counting. Thus it could be shown, that it is possible to successfully transfer growth parameters from batch experiments to porous media for both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.Comment: Minor changes in conclusions, results unchange

O SERVIÇO SOCIAL NO APOIO MATRICIAL: Inovações e contradições no trabalho em saúde.

O apoio matricial é uma tecnologia de suporte técnico-pedagógico e retaguarda assistencial à Atenção Básica no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), que se instituiu na problematização da ordem organizacional tradicional de atenção à saúde e ao modelo técnico-assistencial hegemônico, com vistas à integralidade e resolutividade assistencial. Pretende-se discutir sobre o serviço social no apoio matricial na saúde mental, utilizando como método a revisão narrativa sobre o tema enquanto construção teórica da pesquisa no mestrado. Almeja-se que o conhecimento construído criticamente sobre este espaço sócio ocupacional pode viabilizar a inserção do assistente social de forma comprometida com o projeto ético-político profissional, podendo ser um lócus privilegiado para oportunizar a cidadania e autonomia dos sujeitos, através de projetos políticos que fortaleçam princípios democráticos, diante de um contexto permeado pela contrarreforma do setor via as estratégias de privatização do público que tem fragilizado a Saúde enquanto política pública e de direito

Regulation of Trefoil Factor Family (TFF) peptide gene expression in human retinoblastoma cell lines and relevance of TFF3 for cell behavior

Trefoil factor family (TFF) Peptide, die vorwiegend in der Schleimhaut exprimiert werden und dort eine wichtige Rolle in der Wundheilung spielen, werden auch im zentralen Nervensystem sowie in einer Vielzahl verschiedener Tumore exprimiert und beeinflussen das Apoptose- und Proliferationsverhalten von Zellen. Die Regulation der TFF-Expression in Tumorzelllinien, etabliert aus Retinoblastomen, den häufigsten malignen, intraokularen Tumoren des frühen Kindesalters, sowie die Effekte von TFF-Peptiden auf diese Zellen sind bisher noch nicht untersucht worden. Expressionsanalysen in acht humanen Retinoblastomzelllinien aus uni- und bilateralen Tumoren zeigten eine deutliche TFF1-Expression, während TFF3 nur minimal exprimiert wird. In der gesunden humanen Retina war die Expression mit niedrigen TFF1-Leveln und starker TFF3-Expression genau gegensätzlich. In engem Zusammenhang mit einer Veränderung der Genexpression stehen epigenetische Modifikationen wie DNA-Methylierung oder Histon-Deacetylierung. Promotoranalysen im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ergaben eine Korrelation zwischen den endogenen TFF-mRNA-Leveln in Retinoblastomzelllinien und der Dichte der Methylierung in der korrespondierenden Promotorregion. Dabei ist eine dichte Methylierung mit niedriger Genexpression assoziiert, während eine geringe Methylierung die Genexpression steigert. Der direkte Einfluss von Promotormethylierung und Histon-Deacetylierung auf die TFF-Expression konnte in Inhibierungsstudien mit dem DNA-Methyltransferasehemmer 5-Aza-2'-desoxycytidin und dem Histon-Deacetylase-Inhibitor β-Phenyl-γ-aminobuttersäure bestätigt werden. In einem zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde die Wirkung von TFF3 auf das Wachstum, die Zellviabilität sowie das Apoptose- und Proliferationsverhalten von Y-79 Retinoblastomzellen untersucht. Funktionelle Studien nach Applikation von humanem rekombinanten TFF3 sowie nach transienter und stabiler, lentiviraler TFF3-Überexpression zeigten ein vermindertes Zellwachstum und eine deutliche Reduktion der Zellviabilität, die sich in einem signifikanten Anstieg der Apoptoserate der Zellen widerspiegelte. Zusammenfassend liefern die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Aufklärung der Regulationsmechanismen der TFF-Expression und zur Rolle von TFF3 in Retinoblastomzellen und damit einen ersten Schritt in Richtung neuer, TFF-basierter Therapieansätze für das Retinoblastom.Trefoil factor family (TFF) peptides, predominantly expressed in mucous epithelia and playing an important role in wound healing, are also expressed in the central nervous system as well as in numerous tumors and have been shown to effect apoptosis and cell proliferation. The regulation of TFF-expression in tumor cell lines established from retinoblastomas, the most common malignant intraocular tumors in early childhood, as well as the impact of TFF-peptides on retinoblastoma cells have not been investigated so far. Gene expression studies in eight human retinoblastoma cell lines derived from uni- and bilateral tumors demonstrated clear TFF1-expression, whereas TFF3-expression was low. By contrast, only weak TFF1-expression levels and high TFF3-expression was observed in the healthy human retina. Epigenetic modifications such as DNA-methylation or histone-deacetylation are in close relation with changes in gene expression. Promoter methylation studies performed in the present thesis clearly indicate a correlation between endogenous TFF-mRNA level in retinoblastoma cell lines and methylation status of the corresponding promoter region, whereby a higher degree of methylation is associated with low gene expression and low methylation increases gene expression. Epigenetic inhibition studies using the DNA-methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2`deoxycytidine and the histone-deacetylase inhibitor 4-Phenylbutyric acid revealed a direct effect of promoter methylation and histone-deacetylation on TFF-expression. The second part of the present thesis deals with the influence of TFF3 on Y-79 retinoblastoma cell growth, cell viability, apoptosis and proliferation levels. Functional studies demonstrated reduced cell growth and a clear reduction in cell viability due to a significant pro-apoptotic effect after application of human recombinant TFF3 as well as after transient and stable, lentiviral TFF3-overexpression. Taken together, the present thesis provides insights in epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of TFF-expression and reveals an important role of TFF3 in retinoblastoma cells behavior, providing new starting points for TFF-based retinoblastoma therapies

Oral Tissues as Source for Bone Regeneration in Dental Implantology

One of the most common problems in Regenerative Medicine is the regeneration of damaged bone with the aim of repairing or replacing lost or damaged bone tissue by stimulating the natural regenerative process. Particularly in the fields of orthopedic, plastic, reconstructive, maxillofacial and craniofacial surgery there is need for successful methods to restore bone. From a regenerative point of view two different bone replacement problems can be distinguished: large bone defects and small bone defects. Currently, no perfect system exists for the treatment of large bone defects

Rethinking Hybrid Teaching: The Hybrid Rhombus Model as an Approach to Understanding Hybrid Settings

[EN] After extended periods of remote-only teaching at university, lecturers tried to come back to lecture halls. Due to restrictions not all students could participate on-site. Therefore, hybrid teaching models proliferated. To reflect the transformative effects on teaching practice, we conducted focus groups with lecturers and found that didactic models aimed at capturing dynamics of the in-situ learning experience do not provide sufficient understanding of the bifurcated nature of hybrid teaching. The hybrid rhombus model is an approach to conceptual understanding of the newly developed situation of teaching in a hybrid way. This paper gives a brief description of the model description and the empirical background, to contribute to the debate of hybrid teaching in relation to digital or on-site teaching.Handle-Pfeiffer, D.; Winter, C.; Löw, C.; Hackl, C. (2022). Rethinking Hybrid Teaching: The Hybrid Rhombus Model as an Approach to Understanding Hybrid Settings. En 8th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'22). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1367-1375. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd22.2022.146021367137

Estado nutricional de adultos atendidos em Estratégias de Saúde da Família de um município do Vale do Paranhana – RS

The objectives of this study were to evaluate nutritional status, food consumption and to identify the most prevalent pathologies of adult seen in Family Health Strategies (FHS). Was carried out a cross-sectional, observational and quantitative approach. The research instruments were anthropometric evaluation (weight, height and waist circumference) and the application of two questionnaires, one about socioeconomic and clinical data and another one about food consumption. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25.0 and the variables were related through the Pearson Chi-square test. We evaluated 180 patients of both sexes, of these 29.4% were overweight and 42.8% were obese, there was a prevalence of chronic diseases, mainly systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and a high tendency to consume sweet foods. There was a significant association among the nutritional diagnosis of obesity and systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, depression, abdominal adiposity and use of medications. There was no significant association among dietary intake and nutritional status. The study showed high prevalence of overweight and obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases and consumption of sweet ultra-processed foods, being necessary strategies to coping these comorbidities.Os objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar o estado nutricional, consumo alimentar e identificar as patologias mais prevalentes de adultos atendidos em Estratégias de Saúde da Família (ESF). Foi realizado um estudo com delineamento transversal, observacional e de abordagem quantitativa. Os parâmetros antropométricos avaliados foram peso, altura e circunferência da cintura, e aplicação de dois questionários, um sobre dados socioeconômicos e clínicos e outro sobre consumo alimentar. Os dados foram analisados por meio do software SPSS versão 25.0 e as variáveis foram relacionadas através do teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson. Foram avaliados 180 adultos de ambos os sexos, destes 29,4% estavam com sobrepeso e 42,8% com obesidade, houve prevalência de doenças crônicas, principalmente hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e elevada tendência para o consumo de alimentos doces. Houve associação significativa entre o diagnóstico nutricional de obesidade e hipertensão arterial sistêmica, diabetes mellitus, dislipidemias, depressão, adiposidade abdominal e uso de medicações. Não houve associação significativa entre o consumo alimentar e obesidade. O estudo demonstrou elevada prevalência de excesso de peso (sobrepeso e de obesidade), de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis e consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados doces, sendo necessárias estratégias de enfrentamento a essas comorbidades

Assessment of Psychological Distress and Peer Relations among Trans Adolescents—An Examination of the Use of Gender Norms and Parent–Child Congruence of the YSR-R/CBCL-R among a Treatment-Seeking Sample

Among trans adolescents, increased psychological distress is reported in the literature. The goal of this study was to examine psychological distress, associated peer relations and parent report congruence among the treatment-seeking sample of the Gender Identity Special Consultation (GISC) for youth at the Charite Berlin. Further, differences between the instruments' binary gender norms were investigated. Retrospectively, we analyzed clinical data derived from the GISC. By initial interviews and using the Youth Self-Report and Child Behavior Checklist, n = 50 trans adolescents aged 12-18 years (M = 15.5) were examined for psychological problems and peer relations. Congruence between self and parent report was analyzed by correlations. Half of the sample reported suicidality, self-harm and bullying. Trans adolescents showed significantly higher internalizing and total problems than the German norm population. The congruence between self and parent report proved to be moderate to high. The level of congruence and poor peer relations were identified as predictors of internalizing problems. Significant differences between the female vs. male gender norms emerged regarding mean scores and the number of clinically significant cases. Data provide valuable implications for intervention on a peer and family level. There are limitations to the suitability of questionnaires that use binary gender norms, and further research on adequate instruments and assessment is needed

Screening zur frühen Identifizierung des psychosozialen Unterstützungsbedarfs bei Kindern psychisch erkrankter Eltern

Background: Children of mentally ill parents have an increased risk for mental disorders themselves, which is increased once again by the experience of abuse and neglect. Objective: The aim of this study is to present the development and preliminary piloting of a specific screening procedure that enables an early identification of a possible need for support in children with mentally ill parents. Material and methods: For children of mentally ill parents, two screening procedures were developed. In the parent questionnaire of the "children screening" mental abnormalities of the children and adolescents (6-18 years old) as well as resources are collated in an abbreviated form (mental abnormalities: 26 items, available resources: 4 items). In the "family screening" familial risk and stress factors (8 items) are also enquired about in a self-report of the parents as well as indications for abuse and neglect in the family (9 items). Results: Both screening procedures are easy to evaluate with the help of a traffic light system. The responsible psychiatrist receives a preliminary estimation and definite indications on the current need for psychosocial treatment and support of the whole family and particularly the children. Subsequently, they can initiate further steps for the integrated care of the family. Conclusion: The children and family screening procedures are economical in time and easily understandable screening procedures for identification of the need for treatment and support of the family. Subsequently, after the final validation it is planned to systematically implement the screening procedures in the psychiatric care of mentally ill parents. In this way the far-reaching negative consequences for these children can be prevented