Photoassociation and coherent transient dynamics in the interaction of ultracold rubidium atoms with shaped femtosecond pulses - I. Experiment

We experimentally investigate various processes present in the photoassociative interaction of an ultracold atomic sample with shaped femtosecond laser pulses. We demonstrate the photoassociation of pairs of rubidium atoms into electronically excited, bound molecular states using spectrally cut femtosecond laser pulses tuned below the rubidium D1 or D2 asymptote. Time-resolved pump-probe spectra reveal coherent oscillations of the molecular formation rate, which are due to coherent transient dynamics in the electronic excitation. The oscillation frequency corresponds to the detun-ing of the spectral cut position to the asymptotic transition frequency of the rubidium D1 or D2 lines, respectively. Measurements of the molecular photoassociation signal as a function of the pulse energy reveal a non-linear dependence and indicate a non-perturbative excitation process. Chirping the association laser pulse allowed us to change the phase of the coherent transients. Furthermore, a signature for molecules in the electronic ground state is found, which is attributed to molecule formation by femtosecond photoassociation followed by spontaneous decay. In a subsequent article [A. Merli et al., submitted] quantum mechanical calculations are presented, which compare well with the experimental data and reveal further details about the observed coherent transient dynamics

Differences in femoral component subsidence rate after THA using an uncemented collarless femoral stem: full weight-bearing with an enhanced recovery rehabilitation versus partial weight-bearing

Background Femoral component subsidence is a known risk factor for early failure of total hip arthroplasty (THA) using cementless stems. The aim of the study was to compare an enhanced recovery concept with early full weight-bearing rehabilitation and partial weight-bearing on stem subsidence. In addition, the influence of patient-related and anatomical risk factors on subsidence shall be assessed. Methods One hundred and fourteen patients underwent primary cementless THA and were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty-three patients had an enhanced recovery rehabilitation with early full weight-bearing and 51 patients had rehabilitation with partial weight-bearing (20 kg) for 6 weeks. Postoperative subsidence was analyzed on standing pelvic anterior–posterior radiographs after 4 weeks and 1 year. Subsidence was measured in mm. Anatomical and prosthetic risk factors (stem size, canal flare index, canal fill ratio as well as BMI and demographic data) were correlated. Results Femoral stem subsidence rate was significantly higher for the group with an enhanced recovery concept compared to the group with partial weight-bearing at the first radiological follow up after 4 weeks [2.54 mm (SD ± 1.86) vs. 1.55 mm (SD ± 1.80)] and the second radiological follow up after 1 year [3.43 mm (SD ± 2.24) vs. 1.94 (SD ± 2.16)] (p  3° had a significant influence on subsidence. Canal flare index and canal fill ratio showed no significant correlation with subsidence as well as BMI and age. Conclusion In the present study, cementless stem subsidence was significantly higher in the group with enhanced recovery rehabilitation compared to partial weight-bearing. Small absolute values and differences were demonstrated and therefore possibly below clinical relevance. Anatomical radiological parameters and anthropometric data did not appear to be risk factors for stem subsidence

Excellent Functional Outcome and Quality of Life after Primary Cementless Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) Using an Enhanced Recovery Setup

Background: Total hip arthroplasty combined with the concept of enhanced recovery is of continued worldwide interest, as it is reported to improve early functional outcome and treatment quality without increasing complications. The aim of the study was to investigate functional outcome and quality of life 4 weeks and 12 months after cementless total hip arthroplasty in combination with an enhanced recovery concept. Methods: A total of 109 patients underwent primary cementless Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) in an enhanced recovery concept and were retrospectively analyzed. After 4 weeks and 12 months, clinical examination was analyzed regarding function, pain and satisfaction; results were evaluated using Harris Hip score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), EQ-5D-5L, EQ-VAS and subjective patient-related outcome measures (PROMs). Preoperatively, HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) was collected. A correlation analysis of age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), HADS and comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, art. hypertension, cardiovascular disease) with WOMAC, Harris Hip score (HHS) and EQ-5D was performed. Results: Patients showed a significant improvement in Harris Hip score 4 weeks and 12 months postoperatively (p < 0.001). WOMAC total score, subscale pain, subscale stiffness and subscale function improved significantly from preoperative to 12 months postoperative (p < 0.001). EQ-5D showed a significant improvement preoperative to postoperative (p < 0.001). The influence of anxiety or depression (HADS-A or HADS-D) on functional outcome could not be determined. There was a high patient satisfaction postoperatively, and almost 100% of patients would choose enhanced recovery surgery again. Conclusion: Cementless THA with the concept of enhanced recovery improves early clinical function and quality of life. PROMs showed a continuous improvement over a follow-up of 12 months after surgery. PROMs can help patients and surgeons to modify expectations and improve patient satisfaction

Superior Functional Outcome and Comparable Health-Related Quality of Life after Enhanced Recovery vs. Conventional THA: A Retrospective Matched Pair Analysis

Background: The concept of enhanced recovery after total hip arthroplasty is gaining worldwide interest, as it shortens the length of hospital stay without an increase of complications. The aim of the study was to investigate the functional outcome and health-related quality of life 12 months after cementless total hip arthroplasty with the use of an enhanced recovery concept in comparison to a conventional rehabilitation. Material and Methods: 320 patients were retrospectively analyzed who underwent primary cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). A total of 123 of the patients received an enhanced recovery program (ERAS) and 197 patients a conventional rehabilitation (Non-ERAS). Twelve months postoperatively, a clinical examination was performed regarding satisfaction, function and pain. Results were evaluated using WOMAC, EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS. A 1:1 matching was performed to correct for confounding variables, regarding age, sex and ASA score. Finally, 122 patients (n = 61, in each group) were analyzed and compared. Results: Patients showed a significant improvement of WOMAC total score, subscale pain, subscale stiffness and subscale function from preoperative to the follow up after 12 months in both groups, with significantly superior results for the WOMAC total score for the ERAS group (p = 0.042). EQ-5D and EQ-5D VAS showed a significant improvement from preoperative to 12 months postoperative (p < 0.001) for both groups, while no difference regarding the group-comparison was shown. Conclusion: Health-related quality of life and functional outcome increased to excellent values after total hip arthroplasty with the use of an enhanced recovery concept and a conventional rehabilitation, with a superior WOMAC total score for ERAS and a tendency to better results for health-related quality of life for patients with ERAS within the follow up after 12 months

NFDI4Microbiota – national research data infrastructure for microbiota research

Microbes – bacteria, archaea, unicellular eukaryotes, and viruses – play an important role in human and environmental health. Growing awareness of this fact has led to a huge increase in microbiological research and applications in a variety of fields. Driven by technological advances that allow high-throughput molecular characterization of microbial species and communities, microbiological research now offers unparalleled opportunities to address current and emerging needs. As well as helping to address global health threats such as antimicrobial resistance and viral pandemics, it also has a key role to play in areas such as agriculture, waste management, water treatment, ecosystems remediation, and the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various diseases. Reflecting this broad potential, billions of euros have been invested in microbiota research programs worldwide. Though run independently, many of these projects are closely related. However, Germany currently has no infrastructure to connect such projects or even compare their results. Thus, the potential synergy of data and expertise is being squandered. The goal of the NFDI4Microbiota consortium is to serve and connect this broad and heterogeneous research community by elevating the availability and quality of research results through dedicated training, and by facilitating the generation, management, interpretation, sharing, and reuse of microbial data. In doing so, we will also foster interdisciplinary interactions between researchers. NFDI4Microbiota will achieve this by creating a German microbial research network through training and community-building activities, and by creating a cloud-based system that will make the storage, integration and analysis of microbial data, especially omics data, consistent, reproducible, and accessible across all areas of life sciences. In addition to increasing the quality of microbial research in Germany, our training program will support widespread and proper usage of these services. Through this dual emphasis on education and services, NFDI4Microbiota will ensure that microbial research in Germany is synergistic and efficient, and thus excellent. By creating a central resource for German microbial research, NDFDI4Microbiota will establish a connecting hub for all NFDI consortia that work with microbiological data, including GHGA, NFDI4Biodiversity, NFDI4Agri and several others. NFDI4Microbiota will provide non-microbial specialists from these consortia with direct and easy access to the necessary expertise and infrastructure in microbial research in order to facilitate their daily work and enhance their research. The links forged through NFDI4Microbiota will not only increase the synergy between NFDI consortia, but also elevate the overall quality and relevance of microbial research in Germany

Special orthopaedic geriatrics (SOG) - a new multiprofessional care model for elderly patients in elective orthopaedic surgery: a study protocol for a prospective randomized controlled trial of a multimodal intervention in frail patients with hip and knee replacement

Background Due to demographic change, the number of older people in Germany and worldwide will continue to rise in the coming decades. As a result, the number of elderly and frail patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty is projected to increase significantly in the coming years. In order to reduce risk of complications and improve postoperative outcome, it can be beneficial to optimally prepare geriatric patients before orthopaedic surgery and to provide perioperative care by a multiprofessional orthogeriatric team. The aim of this comprehensive interventional study is to assess wether multimorbid patients can benefit from the new care model of special orthopaedic geriatrics (SOG) in elective total hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods The SOG study is a registered, monocentric, prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) funded by the German Federal Joint Committee (GBA). This parallel group RCT with a total of 310 patients is intended to investigate the specially developed multimodal care model for orthogeriatric patients with total hip and knee arthroplasty (intervention group), which already begins preoperatively, in comparison to the usual orthopaedic care without orthogeriatric co-management (control group). Patients ≥70 years of age with multimorbidity or generally patients ≥80 years of age due to increased vulnerability with indication for elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasty can be included in the study. Exclusion criteria are age < 70 years, previous bony surgery or tumor in the area of the joint to be treated, infection and increased need for care (care level ≥ 4). The primary outcome is mobility measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Secondary outcomes are morbidity, mortality, postoperative complications, delirium, cognition, mood, frailty, (instrumental) activities of daily living, malnutrition, pain, polypharmacy, and patient reported outcome measures. Tertiary outcomes are length of hospital stay, readmission rate, reoperation rate, transfusion rate, and time to rehabilitation. The study data will be collected preoperative, postoperative day 1 to 7, 4 to 6 weeks and 3 months after surgery. Discussion Studies have shown that orthogeriatric co-management models in the treatment of hip fractures lead to significantly reduced morbidity and mortality rates. However, there are hardly any data available on the elective orthopaedic care of geriatric patients, especially in total hip and knee arthroplasty. In contrast to the care of trauma patients, optimal preoperative intervention is usually possible

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world