Uniform documentation of measures in cases of MRSA – an important step towards improving the quality of treatment

The basis for the management and documentation of multiresistant organisms (MRO) in medical facilities in Germany are the Infection Protection Act (IPA) and the recommendations given by the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention at the Robert Koch Institute (KRINKO)

Экологическая оценка состояния растений произрастающих в зоне влияния выбросов железорудных шахт

Выполнены исследования состояния растений произрастающих на территориях прилегающих к железорудному комбинату. Установлены закономерности изменения степени повреждения озимой пшеницы в зависимости от расстояния до вентиляционных стволов железорудной шахты.Виконані дослідження стану рослин, що зростають на територіях прилеглих до залізорудного комбінату. Встановлено закономірності зміни ступеня пошкодження озимої пшениці в залежності від відстані до вентиляційних стволів залізорудної шахти.The studies of the status of plants growing in areas adjacent to the iron ore plant are conducted. The regularities of changes in the damage degree of winter wheat depending on the distance to the ventilation shafts of iron ore mines are fixed

CELL: a Python package for cluster expansion with a focus on complex alloys

We present the Python package CELL, which provides a modular approach to the cluster expansion (CE) method. CELL can treat a wide variety of substitutional systems, including one-, two-, and three-dimensional alloys, in a general multi-component and multi-sublattice framework. It is capable of dealing with complex materials comprising several atoms in their parent lattice. CELL uses state-of-the-art techniques for the construction of training data sets, model selection, and finite-temperature simulations. The user interface consists of well-documented Python classes and modules (http://sol.physik.hu-berlin.de/cell/). CELL also provides visualization utilities and can be interfaced with virtually any ab initio package, total-energy codes based on interatomic potentials, and more. The usage and capabilities of CELL are illustrated by a number of examples, comprising a Cu-Pt surface alloy with oxygen adsorption, featuring two coupled binary sublattices, and the thermodynamic analysis of its order-disorder transition; the demixing transition and lattice-constant bowing of the Si-Ge alloy; and an iterative CE approach for a complex clathrate compound with a parent lattice consisting of 54 atoms

Pilot-study on the influence of carrier gas and plasma application (open resp. delimited) modifications on physical plasma and its antimicrobial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus

Introduction: Physical plasma is a promising new technology regarding its antimicrobial effects. This is especially accounting for treatment of bacterial infection of chronic wounds. Plasma can be generated with different carrier gases causing various biological effects. Screening of different carrier gases and plasma generation setups is therefore needed to find suitable compositions for highly effective antimicrobial plasma treatments and other applications

Analyzing body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria in the context of minority stress among transgender adolescents

Background Gender dysphoria among transgender adolescents has predominantly been examined in relation to body dissatisfaction. While in adult transgender samples, body dissatisfaction is higher than in cisgender controls, this has so far rarely been investigated for adolescents. In the context of a cisnormative society, the impact of influences from the social environment on body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria has been neglected in research. Therefore, this study aimed to (1) provide a detailed analysis of body dissatisfaction among young transgender people and (2) investigate whether body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria are associated with experiences of minority stress such as trans hostility and poor peer relations (PPR). Methods The paper presents a cross-sectional study among a sample of transgender adolescents, presenting at a specialized outpatient counseling clinic (N = 99; age M = 15.36, SD = 1.85). First, body dissatisfaction (assessed by the Body-Image-Scale; BIS), was explored and compared to data from a population-based control group of cisgender peers (N = 527; age M = 14.43, SD = 0.97). Second, within a clinic-referred transgender subsample (n = 74), associations between body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria (measured by Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale; UGDS), PPR (measured by the Youth-Self-Report; YSR-R), and trans hostile experiences (assessed in clinical interview) were examined by correlations, t-tests and multivariate regression. Results Transgender adolescents reported more body dissatisfaction than cisgender peers. The dissatisfaction with sex characteristics, non-hormonal reactive body regions and the total score for body dissatisfaction were positively related with gender dysphoria. The majority had experienced trans hostility in the present and/or past (54.1%) and PPR (63.5%). More body dissatisfaction was correlated with more PPR regarding visible body parts i.e., hair, overall appearance and muscles, whilst PPR and gender dysphoria were not associated. Transgender adolescents who experienced trans hostility showed higher gender dysphoria and PPR, but not more body dissatisfaction. In multiple regression, trans hostility predicted gender dysphoria, whilst age and PPR predicted body dissatisfaction. Discussion Experiences of minority-stress differentially interact with body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria among transgender adolescents. Social correlates of body dissatisfaction and gender dysphoria must be considered when working with young transgender people

Identifying pre-bariatric subtypes based on temperament traits, emotion dysregulation, and disinhibited eating: A latent profile analysis

Objective: The efficacy of bariatric surgery has been proven; however, a subset of patients fails to achieve expected long-term weight loss postoperatively. As differences in surgery outcome may be influenced by heterogeneous psychological profiles in pre-bariatric patients, previous subtyping models differentiated patients based on temperament traits. The objective of the present study was to expand these models by additionally considering emotion dysregulation and disinhibited eating behaviors for subtyping, as these factors were associated with maladaptive eating behaviors and poor post-bariatric weight loss outcome. Methods: Within a prospective multicenter registry, N = 370 pre-bariatric patients were examined using interview and self-report questionnaires. A latent profile analysis was performed to identify subtypes based on temperament traits, emotion dysregulation, and disinhibited eating behaviors. Results: Five pre-bariatric subtypes were identified with specific profiles regarding self control, emotion dysregulation, and disinhibited eating behaviors. Subtypes were associated with different levels of eating disorder psychopathology, depression, and quality of life. The expanded model increased variance explanation compared to temperament-based models. Conclusion: By adding emotion dysregulation and disinhibited eating behaviors to previous subtyping models, specific pre-bariatric subtypes emerged with distinct psychological deficit patterns. Future investigations should test the predictive value of these subtypes for post bariatric weight loss and health-related outcomes

A three-phase in-vitro system for studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion and biofilm formation upon hydrogel contact lenses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Pseudomonas aeruginosa </it>is commonly associated with contact lens (CL) -related eye infections, for which bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation upon hydrogel CLs is a specific risk factor. Whilst <it>P. aeruginosa </it>has been widely used as a model organism for initial biofilm formation on CLs, <it>in-vitro </it>models that closely reproduce <it>in-vivo </it>conditions have rarely been presented.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the current investigation, a novel <it>in-vitro </it>biofilm model for studying the adherence of <it>P. aeruginosa </it>to hydrogel CLs was established. Nutritional and interfacial conditions similar to those in the eye of a CL wearer were created through the involvement of a solid:liquid and a solid:air interface, shear forces and a complex artificial tear fluid. Bioburdens varied depending on the CL material and biofilm maturation occurred after 72 h incubation. Whilst a range of biofilm morphologies were visualised including dispersed and adherent bacterial cells, aggregates and colonies embedded in extracellular polymer substances (EPS), EPS fibres, mushroom-like formations, and crystalline structures, a compact and heterogeneous biofilm morphology predominated on all CL materials.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In order to better understand the process of biofilm formation on CLs and to test the efficacy of CL care solutions, representative <it>in-vitro </it>biofilm models are required. Here, we present a three-phase biofilm model that simulates the environment in the eye of a CL wearer and thus generates biofilms which resemble those commonly observed <it>in-situ</it>.</p