Reproductive outcome after hysteroscopic septoplasty in patients with septate uterus - a retrospective cohort study and systematic review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Septate uterus, one of the most common forms of congenital uterine malformations, negatively affects female reproductive health.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the reproductive outcome after hysteroscopic septoplasty in 64 women with septate uterus and primary or secondary infertility. We performed a systematic review of studies evaluating the reproductive outcome after hysteroscopic septoplasty.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty-four women underwent hysteroscopic septoplasty. In 2/64 (3%) women, intraoperative uterine perforation occurred. Complete follow-up was available for 49/64 (76%) patients. Mean follow-up time was 68.6 +/- 5.2 months. The overall pregnancy rate after hysteroscopic septoplasty was 69% (34/49). The overall life birth rate (LBR) was 49% (24/49). The mean time interval between surgery and the first life birth was 35.8 +/- 22.5 months. Including our own data, we identified 18 studies investigating the effect of septoplasty on reproductive outcome in 1501 women. A pooled analysis demonstrated that hysteroscopic septoplasty resulted in an overall pregnancy rate of 60% (892/1501) and a LBR of 45% (686/1501). The overall rate of intra- and postoperative complications was 1.7% (23/1324) and the overall rate of re-hysteroscopy was 6% (79/1324).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In women with septate uterus and a history of infertility, hysteroscopic septoplasty is a safe and effective procedure resulting in a pregnancy rate of 60% and a LBR of 45%.</p

Enrichment and characterization of microorganisms capable of degrading various C1 compounds in the Black Sea

Background: Methylated compounds can be used as an energy source to drive interactions between sulfate reducing microorganisms and methanogens. This has potential impact on the current understanding of the global carbon and sulfur cycles. Objectives: The use of methylated compounds by anaerobic microorganisms present in the sulfidic permanently stratified Black Sea sediment and column water and the composition of these communities was investigated through enrichment studies. Methods: Black Sea sediment of three different depths between 5 and 30 centimeters below sea floor, as well as water at 105 meters deep were collected anoxically and used for enrichments, supplemented with 1 mM of either dimethylsulfide (DMS), dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), trimethylamine (TMA) and methanol as sole energy source. To promote methanogenesis, acetogenesis and sulfate reduction in the different enrichments, 20 mM molybdate, 20 mM bromoerhanosulfonate (BrES) and 20 mM BrES with 20 mM sulfate was added, respectively. Anoxic cultures were incubated at 20ºC in the dark. Uptake of substrate and product formation were monitored over 4 weeks. Active cultures were transferred to fresh medium to promote further enrichment. Analyses of 16s rRNA gene sequencing are ongoing to elucidate the inocula and culture communities. Results: All enrichments grew on the provided substrates. Over four weeks, utilization of substrate ranged between 20% and 100% for all enrichments. Subsequent transfers of the enrichments retained the decrease of substrate although utilization was slower. These results will be complemented with 16s rRNA gene sequencing data and community comparison developed n methanogenic, acetogenic and sulfate-reducing enrichments performed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cone beam computed tomography in the assessment of TMJ deformity in children with JIA: repeatability of a novel scoring system

Background The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently involved in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Diag‑ nostic imaging is necessary to correctly diagnose and evaluate TMJ involvement, however, hitherto little has been published on the accuracy of the applied scoring systems and measurements. The present study aims to investigate the precision of 20 imaging features and fve measurements based on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods Imaging and clinical data from 84 participants in the Norwegian study on juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the NorJIA study, were collected. Altogether 20 imaging features and fve measurements were evaluated indepen‑ dently by three experienced radiologists for intra- and interobserver agreement. Agreement of categorical variables was assessed by Fleiss’, Cohen’s simple or weighted Kappa as appropriate. Agreement of continuous variables was assessed with 95% limits of agreement as advised by Bland and Altman. Results “Overall impression of TMJ deformity” showed almost perfect intraobserver agreement with a kappa coef‑ fcient of 0.81 (95% CI 0.69–0.92), and substantial interobserver agreement (Fleiss’ kappa 0.70 (0.61–0.78)). Moreover, both “fattening” and “irregularities” of the eminence/fossa and condyle performed well, with intra- and interobserver agreements of 0.66–0.82 and 0.55–0.76, respectively. “Reduced condylar volume” and “continuity” of the fossa/emi‑ nence had moderate intra- and interobserver Kappa values, whereas continuity of the condyle had Kappa values above 0.55. Measurements of distances and angles had limits of agreement of more than 15% of the sample mean. Conclusions We propose a CBCT-based scoring system of nine precise imaging features suggestive of TMJ deformity in JIA. Their clinical validity must be tested

Cone beam computed tomography in the assessment of TMJ deformity in children with JIA: repeatability of a novel scoring system

Background The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently involved in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Diagnostic imaging is necessary to correctly diagnose and evaluate TMJ involvement, however, hitherto little has been published on the accuracy of the applied scoring systems and measurements. The present study aims to investigate the precision of 20 imaging features and five measurements based on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods Imaging and clinical data from 84 participants in the Norwegian study on juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the NorJIA study, were collected. Altogether 20 imaging features and five measurements were evaluated independently by three experienced radiologists for intra- and interobserver agreement. Agreement of categorical variables was assessed by Fleiss’, Cohen’s simple or weighted Kappa as appropriate. Agreement of continuous variables was assessed with 95% limits of agreement as advised by Bland and Altman. Results “Overall impression of TMJ deformity” showed almost perfect intraobserver agreement with a kappa coefficient of 0.81 (95% CI 0.69–0.92), and substantial interobserver agreement (Fleiss’ kappa 0.70 (0.61–0.78)). Moreover, both “flattening” and “irregularities” of the eminence/fossa and condyle performed well, with intra- and interobserver agreements of 0.66–0.82 and 0.55–0.76, respectively. “Reduced condylar volume” and “continuity” of the fossa/eminence had moderate intra- and interobserver Kappa values, whereas continuity of the condyle had Kappa values above 0.55. Measurements of distances and angles had limits of agreement of more than 15% of the sample mean. Conclusions We propose a CBCT-based scoring system of nine precise imaging features suggestive of TMJ deformity in JIA. Their clinical validity must be tested.publishedVersio

Assessing the links between childhood trauma, C-reactive protein and response to antidepressant treatment in patients with affective disorders

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) are a well-known risk-factor for depression. Additionally, (high-sensitive) C-reactive Protein (hsCRP) is elevated in subgroups of depressed patients and high following ACE. In this context the literature considers hsCRP and ACE to be associated with treatment resistant depression. With the data being heterogenous, this study aimed to explore the associations of ACE, hsCRP levels and response to antidepressant treatment in uni- and bipolar depression. N = 76 patients diagnosed with uni- or bipolar depression and N = 53 healthy controls were included. Treatment was over 6~weeks in an inpatient psychiatric setting within an observatory study design. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), ACE were assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ); the body-mass-index (BMI) and hsCRP were measured. HsCRP levels did not differ between the study population and the healthy controls. While the depressive symptoms decreased, the hsCRP levels increased. Sexual abuse was associated with significant higher and emotional abuse with lower levels of hsCRP after 6~weeks. The baseline hsCRP levels and the ACE subgroups did not~show significant associations with the treatment response in unipolar depressed patients. The long-lasting effects of specific forms of ACE may have relevant impact on inflammation, supporting hsCRP to be a suitable biomarker. With ACE and hsCRP not showing any significant associations with treatment response in the unipolar depressed subgroup, a more differentiate research concerning biomarkers and treatment regimens is needed when talking about treatment response

Effects of stress beliefs on the emotional and biological response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men

Background Negative beliefs about stress (e.g., “stress is bad”) constitute an independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality. One potential underlying mechanism are altered responses to acute psychosocial stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether beliefs about stress are associated with physiological and endocrine stress response patterns. Methods A total of N = 77 healthy adults were randomised to an experimental and a placebo control group and were subsequently exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Stress beliefs were measured before and after a psychological manipulation aiming at fostering more balanced stress beliefs or a placebo manipulation. Self-reported stress was measured four times before/after the TSST, heart rate was assessed continuously, and cortisol was assessed eight times before/after the TSST. Results There was a significant decrease in negative stress beliefs (p < .001) and increase in positive stress beliefs (p < .001) in participants in the experimental condition, which was absent in participants in the placebo condition. The participants in the experimental group had more pronounced self-reported stress reactions (p = .028) while at the same time also showing more pronounced stress recoveries (p = .036). The findings regarding cortisol were mixed. Conclusions More balanced stress beliefs appeared to be associated with more efficient subjective responses to acute psychosocial stress. These findings attest to a potential mechanism translating negative stress beliefs into ill health while at the same time outlining targets for psychological interventions

How justice shapes transition governance–a discourse analysis of Swedish policy debates

Published online: 16 February 2023In both policy-making and academia, the realisation is growing that transitions striving for sustainability have to be just to be socially accepted. This insight has given rise to institutionalised approaches to a “just transition”–but also beyond these, justice is a key challenge in the governance of sustainability transitions. In this paper, we examine how justice arguments are being used in national-level discourses of transition governance in Sweden. Analysing 121 policy-related documents from 2019 to 2021, we found that justice was discursively treated in away that essentially stifled change. Political actors attempted to trump each other's justice claims rather than to genuinely engage with them. Justice concerns that would not serve re-election, such as solidarity across social boundaries, were almost absent from the material. Based on these findings, we critically explore how justice arguments contribute to politicizing transition governance in particular ways, rendering some policy options impossible

In children and adolescents with temporomandibular disorder assembled with juvenile idiopathic arthritis ‑ no association were found between pain and TMJ deformities using CBCT

Background - Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) may suffer from temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Due to this, imaging diagnosis is crucial in JIA with non-symptomatic TM joint (TMJ) involvement. The aim of the study was to examine the association between clinical TMD signs/symptoms and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) findings of TMJ structural deformities in children and adolescents with JIA. Methods - This cross-sectional study is part of a longitudinal prospective multi-centre study performed from 2015–2020, including 228 children and adolescents aged 4–16 years diagnosed with JIA, according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR). For this sub-study, we included the Bergen cohort of 72 patients (32 female, median age 13.1 years, median duration of JIA 4.5 years). Clinical TMD signs/symptoms were registered as pain on palpation, pain on jaw movement, and combined pain of those two. The severity of TMJ deformity was classified as sound (no deformity), mild, or moderate/severe according to the radiographic findings of CBCT. Results Conclusions - There was no association between painful TMD and CBCT imaging features of the TMJ in patients with JIA, but the oligoarticular subtype of JIA, there was a significant difference associated with TMJ pain and structural CBCT deformities

Guidance of Navigating Honeybees by Learned Elongated Ground Structures

Elongated landscape features like forest edges, rivers, roads or boundaries of fields are particularly salient landmarks for navigating animals. Here, we ask how honeybees learn such structures and how they are used during their homing flights after being released at an unexpected location (catch-and-release paradigm). The experiments were performed in two landscapes that differed with respect to their overall structure: a rather feature-less landscape, and one rich in close and far distant landmarks. We tested three different forms of learning: learning during orientation flights, learning during training to a feeding site, and learning during homing flights after release at an unexpected site within the explored area. We found that bees use elongated ground structures, e.g., a field boundary separating two pastures close to the hive (Experiment 1), an irrigation channel (Experiment 2), a hedgerow along which the bees were trained (Experiment 3), a gravel road close to the hive and the feeder (Experiment 4), a path along an irrigation channel with its vegetation close to the feeder (Experiment 5) and a gravel road along which bees performed their homing flights (Experiment 6). Discrimination and generalization between the learned linear landmarks and similar ones in the test area depend on their object properties (irrigation channel, gravel road, hedgerow) and their compass orientation. We conclude that elongated ground structures are embedded into multiple landscape features indicating that memory of these linear structures is one component of bee navigation. Elongated structures interact and compete with other references. Object identification is an important part of this process. The objects are characterized not only by their appearance but also by their alignment in the compass. Their salience is highest if both components are close to what had been learned. High similarity in appearance can compensate for (partial) compass misalignment, and vice versa

iUSIM - Institutsübergreifende, modulare Urban Mobility Simulationsinfrastruktur

Generische Simulationsmodelle sind essenziell für die Bewertung neuer Konzepte, Verfahren und Methoden im Bereich Luftfahrt und Verkehr und stellen somit einen wesentlichen Bestandteil unserer Forschung dar. Die Institute für Flugführung (FL), Verkehrssystemtechnik (TS) und Softwaretechnologie (SC) verfügen jeweils über fundierte Kenntnisse und Expertisen hinsichtlich verschiedener Simulationstechnologien und -möglichkeiten. Diese wurden im Rahmen des Projektes zusammengetragen und ausgetauscht. Anhand eines Rettungsszenarios steht insbesondere die Verbindung der einzelnen Simulatoren von FL, TS, SC im Fokus dieser Arbeit